


The Nature of Monsters

by scurvaliciousbay



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Caserole - Freeform, Love, Mercenaries, Monsters, Nonbinary Character, Other, People Who Adopt Other People, Running from the law, mutual life saving, parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:21:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 34,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22607683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scurvaliciousbay/pseuds/scurvaliciousbay
Summary: Kassaran Adaar is a mercenary and monster hunter. She doesn't want to be, but it pays the bills and helps support her daughter, Ashokara. She encounters a rather intriguing monster person on a job and against better judgement, lets them go. Years later, she encounters a mysterious, wealthy benefactor with a charming smile after going on the run with her daughter.A borderline original work featuring my Kassaran and circadian_rythm's Melarue, an ode to the ship we've been writing for I believe going on four years now.This work will contain references to sexual assault but no graphic depiction. There will be violence as well. Consensual sex will also prominently feature in future chapters.
Relationships: Adaar/OC, Kassaran/Melarue, OC/OC
Kudos: 2





	1. Part One

Kass is tired of mercenary work. Sure, it pays and it’s the reason for the roof over her daughter’s head and food in their bellies. But Kass is  _ really  _ tired of it. 

If she were a human man, she’d be lauded as a hero by now for the monsters she’s slain, the bandits she’s driven off, the aid she has given. Alas, Kass is neither a man nor human, and is therefore just a mercenary. A tired mercenary who would really like to retire to a nice home in the countryside raising goats or something. Not that she knows how to raise goats, but she’s sure she could figure it out. 

In the meantime, she’s a mercenary and monster hunter, taking jobs where she can to earn something of a decent living. At present, she’s got a job to do. In a town two day’s travel from her and Ashokara’s home, the son of the captain of the local guard has gone missing. Everyone suspects the Cave Monster (really, these people have no creativity) to be responsible. That suspicion combined with the captain not wanting to risk any of his men facing a monster, she’s been called in to find the man. The cave in question is half a day’s ride from the town and almost entirely uphill until the land plateaus into a cliffside. Nestled into a heap of rock is the cave, the opening nicely angled away from the spray of the sea. 

Kass hitches her horse to a nearby tree and begins the trek into the cave. It’s well past midday and she wants to get this wrapped up quickly so she can get home to her daughter. She adjusts her coat and holsters her axe while making sure her short sword is properly sheathed under her coat. She grabs a torch and makes her way into the cave, ducking under an initial low cropping of rock.

The cave is not a gargantuan thing. It’s rather modest comparatively. It’s not like the cyclops cave - now that cave had been GIGANTIC. This cave is smaller, but still large enough to not feel claustrophobic. There are at least two feet between the ceiling and Kass’s head and as a very tall woman, it’s nice. The buildings in the town down below had terribly short ceilings and her back had been starting to hurt from all the leaning. 

She lights a torch and continues to sojourn into the cave. It winds for a bit before coming to what looks a little like a vestibule. A vestibule full of statues. 

“Huh,” she says, slowing her stride to take in the space. There have to be at least three dozen statues scattered throughout the space. Perhaps this is an artistic cave monster, she thinks, stranger things have happened. Upon closer inspection, Kass finds that all of the statues have horrified expressions. Eyes wide and mouths often ajar as if spying something horrible. Well, that’s different. But she guesses that like many artists, this cave monster is going through a phase. A ‘horrified statue’ phase. She’d like to say it’s the weirdest thing she’s seen, but it’s not. She once saw a man get swallowed by a giant worm then fight his way out by playing a lute. It’s hard to be phased by horrified statues after watching a worm explode. 

The statues are all so...detailed. She can see the movement of their clothes and the small details in buckles and on beads in hair and earrings. Aside from the expressions, the statues are quite lovely and exquisitely made, diverse in heights, build, and facial features.

Kass walks slowly through the vestibule, examining the statues but also the room itself. “Vestibule” may be a bit of an exaggeration, it is a cave afterall. Still, with the long swaths of fabric strewn from the ceiling down to the curving walls, and the large decorative urns lining the room, with the worn running rug - it sure feels like a vestibule. There are even tall candelabras! Their metal forms glint in the torchlight. She is tempted to light the candelabras but monsters frequently have a thing about their candelabras, she thinks it’s a dramatic exit thing or being embarrassed in the light thing. Maybe it’s both things! Whatever the things are, she respects them enough to not light the candelabras.

She goes back to looking at the statues. There is something about them that is so lifelike, so...horrifying but beautiful. This monster is a real artist, she thinks with frustration. Damn. It’s hard to do her job when the monster is all artsy or personable. Thing is, nearly all of them are artsy or personable. The more she does this job the more she sees monsters are just people with different circumstances, most of the time ostracized because of “normal people” fear. 

She really has to get out of this line of work. 

Kass turns and a particular statue catches her eye. She walks towards it and a chill runs down her back. This statue is of a shorter, lanky man with stringy hair with an upturned crooked nose that she suspects he got from a bar fight two weeks ago. Her eyes scan over the form, finding a small detail in the hilt of the sword he had been in the process of brandishing - the mark of the town’s guard. Shit. This matches the description of the guard captain’s son; the problem is, he’s a statue instead of a breathing person. 

Ooooh, this is NOT good. Not an artsy monster but a monster who can somehow statue-fy people. And here she thought it was just a run of the mill cave monster! No! This is a monster with freaky statue-fying powers! 

Kass lets out a groan as she pulls out a book on the various monster’s she’s encountered and other mercs have encountered that she has met. Making statues out of people is a pretty rare talent, she’s only heard of a couple of creatures that can manage that. 

She flips through the book, nibbling on her lower lip. There’s a bird that can do it, a big ol’ snake called a basilisk that can do it, and an unnamed person who always seems to evade the mercenaries that survive their attacks. Rumor has it that to gaze upon this creature is to be turned to stone. Kass hopes for the bird. She feels like she can deal with a bird faster than the other options, especially the mystery monster that is apparently smart enough to elude hunters. 

Kass tucks the book away and reaches up to pat at the braids in her hair. Never know when a monster is going to explode and it’s easier to pick out blood and whatever out of braids rather than the fro she likes to keep. If any of these statues get smashed, though, she doubts she would be able to easily clean dust out of her hair, braids or no. 

“Alright, monster, let’s get this show going, I got a kid at home who needs her mom,” she mutters. She pulls out her face mask that she uses for sleeping and takes a deep breath. She doesn’t like having to rely on her other senses, but she can do it. Really, if she wasn’t big and grey and behorned, she would be enshrined as a hero. But she is all of those things, so she’s just a reputable mercenary. 

Her hands reach down to assure herself that she has her weapons - a short sword, a dagger, a hand-axe and a lasso on her other hip that is good for many things. 

She keeps her torch lit and walks to a wall where she had seen an opening. She can make out the faintest shapes through the mask with the torch so close. The hallway she enters is narrow and winding and it eventually leads to an antechamber containing three doors. Oh fun, she loves playing “What’s Behind Door Number Whatever!” Her favorite thing, just behind exploding worms. 

“I’m getting too old for this,” she grouses, pulling the first door open. Darkness greets her and after a moment, she steps carefully through, leaning her torch forward. She treds slowly through the room, stumbling against what feels like a raised platform...no, a bath! She can hear the trickle of water and feels the curve of the bath, the stone worn to smoothness. Her hand crests over the edge of the bath, steadying her as she makes her way back to the entrance. She pauses when her fingers find something that is dry yet delicate. Long and thin that feels vaguely familiar. Taking a chance, she lifts her mask to look down at what she found, blinking in surprise when she sees it’s a shed snakeskin. It is small and while it would suggest the snake, the serpent the other mercenaries had spoken of was gigantic. This is small, no larger than a long garden snake. 

Frowning, Kass lets go of the skin and slides her mask back into place. She’s been in a good number of monster dens, and this one...it just feels different. The vestibule, the doors, the  _ bath _ , replete with grooming instruments and oils - it’s less of a lair and more of a home. 

She leaves the bath and heads out to the second door. Her ear twitches, straining to hear anything. There is nothing, but the hairs on the back of her neck stand at attention and she knows the creature that lives here is watching her. 

She opens the door to find another hallway. Before she sets down the hallway, she opens the third door to only find a broom closet. Cautiously, Kass steps down the hallway, feeling the cave slope downward. It’s a short hallway that leads into an open room to the right, and another door to the left. Exploring the room to the right reveals it is a kitchen-like area, complete with tables for meal-prep and eating as well as dishes. 

It makes even less sense for the serpent to live here - the bath and kitchen point to a humanoid creature. And a humanoid creature would also rule out the bird, unless this is a harpy-like monster. Harpies don’t live in caves, though, their claustrophobia forbids it.

Finally, she stands at the door. She gets a  _ feeling _ and knows that if she goes forward, there is no going back. These moments are always difficult. The intense knowledge that the choice about to made is completely irrevocable and likely completely life altering. Thing is, she doesn’t know how this choice will change her life. Would it be bad? Would it be good?

A long time ago, Kass learned that there is only forward if true change is to be achieved. 

She opens the door. 

A hissing breeze slips through the door and promptly snuffs out Kass’s torch. Knowing that the breeze must have been magical in origin to suffocate the torch, she drops it, and unsheaths her shortsword instead.

“I suppose the boy’s family sent you,” a dark voice says, not surprised, but resigned. Several thoughts race through her head. Not the snake, not the bird, but the humanoid. The creature that has somehow evaded and slain hunters. 

“They did.” No need to deny her purpose here. There is no way to deny who or what she is - a well-armed monster hunting mercenary sent here to dispatch a monster. This monster.

Something moves and she hears what sounds like a bed creaking. She thinks this must be the bedchamber. 

“Did they tell you what a disgusting person he was?” 

“Why would they do that? They wanted me to find him.” 

“And you did.” Their voice grows closer and she drops into a ready stance, following them with her ears. They don’t sound like they are going to attack, but she knows better. 

“He gazed upon you and turned to stone, the family will be very upset to have him back as a statue.”

“It is an improvement, I can assure you,” they reply dryly.

“Is that so?”

“The man they sent you to find is a rapist, I plucked the knowledge from his mind as I turned him to stone. He assaulted five people, and I would have been his sixth.” 

Kass frowns. She knew the man wasn’t well-liked, her stay in the town had confirmed as much. Her canvassing the town had not brought up any allegations of rape. Bar-fights and insubordination within the guard, yes, but not anything related to sexual assault. She isn’t surprised, though, with his father as the captain and his own lofty position as a guard in the town, he could have easily covered up anything that came up against him. He was in a position of power, and Kass knew that those in power rarely were so honorable to not abuse their station. 

Still, they could be lying. 

“Tell me what happened?” She asks softly.

They pause long enough that Kass grows worried, but when they speak, it is farther from her. “I was sleeping when I heard the man knocking about in the entry. Most leave upon seeing the display, they run to tell their families of the monster in the cave that has horrified statues. But not this one. He stumbled his way through to my bedchamber, not unlike you have, though I believe he was thoroughly intoxicated. I heard him fumble with his clothing before I decided enough was enough. I turned to him and turned him to stone. In this process, I can discern pieces of my victim’s life - and I saw that he was a horrid person. The world is better off without him.”

“How did you get him to the vestibule?”

“I carried him. I’m quite strong.”

She has no doubt they are, as well as smart enough to tell her a story she will sympathize with. She wonders if their mind-reading ability is restricted to only during this petrification. If not, they could have seen how her daughter was conceived and spun this tale to entice her to letting them go. 

Kass is not an accomplished liar but she is no fool. 

“I want the truth,” she says quietly.

They scoff, “No one wants the truth, they want convenient lies that allow them to continue their lives without changing. That is why you will not believe me.” They sound almost disappointed.

“I did not say I do not believe you. It is entirely possible he was as vile as you say. What I have trouble believing is that you acted out of self-defense. A strong, clever person such as you? No, I am willing to bet you played with him.”

They pause, “You believe me.”

“Partially, but...yes.”

She does not hear them move but when they speak again, she hears that they are in front of her, “It has been so long since someone believed me.” They sound disbelieved. It’s not surprising, monstrous folk are so often written off and assumed liars. Kass has seen enough to not discount anyone, particularly the monster folks. 

“I did toy with him,” they admit.

Kass nods and thinks for a second. She doesn’t blame them for their actions and quite frankly, this job has felt skeevy from the beginning. The guard captain had kept his hand on his wife the entire time he spoke to Kass and the rest of the guard would either sneer at her or not even try to bring their gazes up from her breasts. She regretted not wearing her full armor, it had been a hot summer day, though, and the layers had been so unappealing. The barkeep had said the man would start up a fight at least twice a week, and none of the girls would speak to Kass. Yes, she believes them. 

“He earned it,” she sighs, reaching up to scratch her horn again. What a shitty job. She should have refused it the moment she started thinking the little shit was...well a little shit. This monstrous person is just trying to live, and judging by the rumors she’s encountered, they’ve been moving far and wide for a while. 

“Look, there is a town full of people who are determined to see your head on a pike. I can buy you some time to get out of her, tell them you’re dead, you disintegrated into...ash or something. I suspect they’ll eventually want to come up here to investigate, so you’ll need to leave.”

“You’re letting me go?” They ask, shocked.

“Yes. There is a town to the north of here called Eastbrook. It’s a five day ride from here. There’s a tavern by the name of Hush, tell the barkeep Kass sent you. Code word is Seeker. They’ll help you, they’re good people.” She turns from where she assumes they are and fiddles with her pack, pulling out her journal. She shoves the mask up over an eye and sets to write out the instructions only to realize it is still pitch dark.

“You wouldn’t mind lighting the candelabras would you?” Before she finishes the sentence, light blooms in the chamber. She thanks them then writes out an abbreviated version of the instructions.

“Why are you doing this?” They ask softly.

“Because more often than not, the true monsters are the ones you never suspect. You are trying to live your life and this man comes into your home and tries to assault you? Yet, you are the one who is held up as a monster. It’s not right. I’m not a hero, I’m too much of a monster myself to be one, but...I do what is right. Helping you escape the mob that is surely to come is right.” She tears the journal page out, shifts the mask into position and holds the paper out.

“I don’t know where you are - oh,” her voice trails off as their fingers meet hers as they take the paper from her. They remain out of sight and their touch is so brief it’s almost as if it didn’t happen, but her skin tingles from where their fingers brushed against hers.

“Your kindness and mercy will not be forgotten. I will repay this one day.” Their voice is thick with gracious promise. It makes Kass smile. 

“It’s okay if you don’t, but thank you. I...need to get going, start this distraction for you.” She fumbles with the mask, sliding it into place. 

“I will light your path back,” they say. They keep that promise, the candelabras lighting as she walks by them all the way out to the mouth of the cave where her horse is tethered. She takes off the mask and mounts the horse, mind turning over what happened in there. She truly intended to bring back the brat, but she agrees with the creature - he was a true monster. Which brings her to question why she had so readily accepted their account of things. They were rumored to be clever and it could have easily been a ruse. 

Perhaps she really is tired enough, disenchanted enough to believe a monster over the people who send her out to kill these so-called monsters. Sullivan over at the tavern is going to kill her for sending another to him. But he owes her, he was after all the first one she helped. She invested some of her coin into helping him set up the tavern so he could live his life without having to be so isolated. Like wolves, and people Kass supposes, werewolves like to be around other people. It just so happens once a month they really  _ shouldn’t.  _

These thoughts bounce around in Kass’s head for the entire journey back to the town to deliver the news - both the boy and the monster are dead. No, there isn’t a body, both were turned to dust. She urges the guard captain to simply hold a funeral and move on. They dock her pay, only giving her half of what they promised.

They sneer and spit slurs at her as they hand over the money. She wishes she could say she’s surprised, but she’s not. She’s all too familiar with this. It’s why she still has to work these jobs - whether she completes them or not, her pay is routinely docked for “not completing the job to specifications.” Whatever, she just wants to go home.

She pockets the money, hops on her horse and begins the journey home. It’s late enough in the day that she doesn’t get far. She could’ve stayed in the town’s inn, but she doesn’t want to spend more time around those people. It didn’t escape her that the vast majority of the people she spied were humans. No, she’d rather make camp under a nice big tree on the way home. 

It’s a nice, sturdy tree she finds. She props her tent against it and settles in for the night after making a fire. The horse is tethered and she is a light enough sleeper she’ll wake should anyone or anything get too close. 

Morning arrives with light spilling lazily across the horizon, gradually pushing out the night. Kass wakes almost as slowly. Only when she repeatedly reminds herself that she needs to book it today if she is to return home by nightfall does she fully rouse. She emerges from the tent and stretches, her back protesting slightly. She is really getting too worn for all of this. 

When she looks back down at the long dead embers of the fire, she blinks. That bag was not there when she went to sleep. It’s a leather coin purse and a note rests atop it. She bends down and breaks the seal on the note - a deep green wax emblem of a snake’s head. Only two words mark the page in an elegant script.

_ Thank you. _

She quirks an eyebrow before she tucks the note away and opens the purse. 

Kass lets out a low whistle at the contents, her eyes going wide. Thank her  _ indeed _ . There must be at least a hundred gold pieces! Enough for her to buy another magic lesson for Ash. Enough to not have to choose between eating three meals a day and getting Ash properly trained for at least two weeks. 

Nigh overcome, Kass bites her lip and closes her eyes. 

_ Thank you. _

**

_ 2 Years Later _

It doesn’t take long for Ash to be labeled as a monster. Her magic isn’t the pretty kind that is easily justified away as “well, she can always heal people.” No, Ash’s magic is explosive just like she is. But it is warm like her too, passionate and strong. It’s beautiful magic, but Kass should have known that it was only a matter of time before Ash was seen as too dangerous. 

Kass is returning from another job when she sees a plume of smoke rising from the town she’s called home for the last several years. Her heart leaps into her throat in a sudden grip of fear and she urges her horse into an earnest run into town. They fly through the town, narrowly missing passerby, but she can’t bring herself to be overly upset - the fire is at her home.

She rounds the corner and her body grows cold at the terror coursing through her body.Her house and several houses next to it are ablaze in a brilliant show of fire composed of orange and blue flames.  _ Ash _ . Kass practically leaps off of the horse, not caring as she shoves through the crowd.

“Ash? ASH!” She calls.

“She set this fire! She can burn!” Old woman Adelaide sneers, stepping in front of Kass.

“Move, or I move you,” Kass growls. The woman protests but she steps out of the way as Kass rushes into the still burning building. She runs through a break in the flames and to the back of the house where Ash spends most of her time. 

_ There!  _ Just over the top of the flames Kass can see the tips of Ash’s horns. 

“Ashokara!” Kass calls, coughing as smoke begins to cloy at her lungs. Ash looks up, face streaked with soot and tears.

“Mama! They were going to hurt me!” The girl sobs. Confused, Kass steps around the flames into the sunroom proper to find two charred but familiar corpses. They’re of two neighbor boys, their faces distorted in screams, their skin covered in deep burns.

Kass’s heart breaks - for her daughter. It’s out of self-defense, it always is. Mindful of the blue flames licking up the walls, Kass steps inside and picks up her daughter. She’s had a growth spurt, but Kass manages to sling Ash over her shoulder.

“We have to go!” Kass turns on her heel and rushes out of the building. The fire brigade only now just arriving to combat the flames. A furious mob has already gathered, though, brandishing whatever weapons they could find while shouting at Kass and her daughter.

“She did this!” They shout as Kass sets to maneuver the crowd, Ash still slung over her shoulders. The girl is still sobbing, clinging to Kass for dear life.

“She’s a monster!” They berate, shoving Kass, causing her to stumble despite her immense height and strength.

“Monster of fire!” They accuse.

“She murdered my boy!” One of the mothers scream and for a brief moment, Kass sympathizes with the woman. She couldn’t fathom losing Ash...and for that, she gathers what little strength she has left for the day and rushes through the crowd to the horse. 

Kass puts Ash on the horse, mounts it herself, and they flee that night with only the money in her satchel from the last couple of jobs she’s done. All of her savings, all of their belongings - gone. But they’re alive, and that is enough. It has to be.

The next several months are a blur of moving from town to town, doing any odd job she can do to keep them fed and staying at inns. She wants to save up enough to buy another horse for Ash, the poor beast they have now can really only handle one of them at a time. Saving money is hard though, when the jobs don’t pay much and the other costs keep mounting. Kass has to buy new boots since her old ones finally give up the ghost. Ash needs clothes to keep her warm during the winter. Kass gets sick and while she knew she could withstand it, Ash panics and rushes into the local apothecary and buys an expensive tonic. It puts Kass on her feet at least. 

Kass would love to be able to put roots down in another town, but there is now a bounty on Ash’s head, and Kass’s too since she aided in Ash’s escape. It makes life more than a little hard and very tricky. She could go to Sullivan’s, but she’s seen in that area enough that the monster hunters would surely check there. 

The seventh month on the run, however, Kass is seriously considering going to Sullivan’s to end this madness. She is worn thin, literally. She’s lost weight, giving most of her food to Ash to keep her as healthy as possible. Exhaustion weighs heavily on her bones from working nearly non-stop. She doesn’t know how much more she can manage this. 

The sickness is back again, as well. It started out as a cough, but now it’s spread into full body chills and aches. She’s feverish, and while she breathes deeply, it’s as if she cannot pull enough air into her lungs. Her chest aches and her head is beginning to feel fuzzy at the edges. Movement has become more belabored, but she must work, they must keep going. Survive first, details later.

They have moved into one of the bigger cities in the region. The winter is colder, but there are more jobs to be found in a bigger city. They have been here for the last two weeks, staying in the cheapest hovel of an inn she could find. She found work as a guard at a warehouse that pays well and the owner doesn’t ask many questions. 

She is coming off an uneventful night shift, stumbling back to the disgusting inn, when a coughing spell takes her. Her lungs burn as more and more air is forced out of her, head spinning at the force of it. She hacks and hacks and stumbles right into a lovely, upper class person. 

“I’m sorry,” she wheezes, her vision blurring. All she can make out is long, loose hair, and a lovely dark green coat. They catch her as she falls, though, making a noise of surprise. She wheezes and coughs, and blood splatters against that coat. 

“Where are you staying?” They ask, their voice dark and familiar…

“Rat...hostel, Ash?” It’s all she can get out before the world spins into black.


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kass wakes up in a beautiful home belonging to a beautiful person.

Warm. Kass is...warm, and surprisingly comfortable. She feels like she’s wrapped up in a cloud with the softness encompassing and supporting her. She stretches and the fluffy cloud rustles in response. Huh, she never expected a cloud to rustle, but then again she’s never been in a cloud before. 

Her back arches and she wiggles so that she sinks deeper into plush comfort. If this is death, sign her up. She’s never been so comfortable. Death...no, she can’t die, she’s got Ash and a life to live, comfort be damned. Since when is living comfortable? 

Sufficiently groused into realizing she should wake, Kass opens her eyes and blinks. Soft sky blue greets her, dappled with gold stars. She blinks and glances around to see that she isn’t under, or in, a sky at all, but a rather upscale bedroom. She’s in the nicest bed she has ever had the pleasure to sleep in - it’s huge, made from dark stained wood that she is too low class to identify, with four great posters holding up the canopy clad in the gold detailed blue cloth. The bedding matches the canopy, and the posters even have gold leafing stretching up to frame the canopy. It’s all very decadent and posh and not at all like the rat-hostel she had rented.

What in the...how did she get here? 

“I’m glad you’re awake,” a familiar voice says. Kass whips her head around to see the upper class person she had run into before...before she passed out. A faint memory of coughing violently then falling into this person flies into her mind. They watch her, but she isn’t sure how. They’re wearing these completely dark glasses that usually indicate blindness. Yet, they seem to be visually aware of her. 

“Hello,” Kass says, her throat dry and hoarse, “where am I?”

They smile, “You are in my home. Tell me, Kassaran, do you not remember me?” 

Kass blinks, narrows her eyes. A client, perhaps? No, she would have remembered them if they were. While their appearance is totally unrecognizable, their voice...where…?

“You have been through quite the ordeal, I suppose some reminding is in order.” They rise from their seat and slowly walk toward the bed, “My name is Melarue. Several years ago, you traveled to a cave at the request of townspeople who employed you to rescue the guard captain’s son. Instead of rescuing the boy, you spared the life of who killed him. My life.” They take a seat on the edge of the bed, far enough away from her so they are not touching. 

Kass blinks then shuts her eyes quick, “I’m glad to know you’ve done well since then. I, uh, don’t fancy becoming a statue.” That’s where she recognized their voice! From the cave! Of course she wouldn’t recognize their appearance, she hadn’t actually seen them. Still, shutting her eyes after looking at them seems quite silly. They could have turned her to stone at any point.

“You have nothing to fear from me,” they say quietly, “I promised to return the favor of saving my life. I searched for you, but I couldn’t find you much to my consternation. I began to worry that I would never fulfill my promise. Imagine my surprise when you stumble into my arms on the street, nearly dying from disease. I brought you to my home and for the last week, nursed you back to health.”

“A  _ week _ ?” No, it couldn’t be. A whole week? “My daughter -

“Is safe, here in the house. After I found you, I went to the...rat hostel you mentioned. I figured it must have been the inn by the docks. It’s the cheapest and most...ill-reputable such establishment in the city. Prone to vermin. I found your daughter and brought her here. She’s been fed, cleaned, and clothed.” 

Kass leans back against the most perfect pillows she’s ever known and sighs, “How much?” She whispers, knowing that while they said they would repay  _ her  _ for her kindness, Ash was never part of the picture. 

“I told you, this is repayment. Everything I have here is thanks to you. I found the barkeep, Sullivan, at the tavern, and he gave me this talismen,” their fingers reach up and touch a silver necklace with a single rectangular emerald dangling from the chain wrapped around their slender neck. “It conceals my features. Another friend in that tavern made these glasses for me to conceal my gaze so that I do not turn people to stone accidentally. These things allow me to hide in plain sight and live my life...free.” Their hand drops from the amulet and they angle their face and she gets the distinct feeling they’re looking her directly in the eye. “Your one act made this possible.” 

“You make me sound like a god or something,” Kass mumbles, too stunned to say anything else.

They frown, “You are far from a god, for which I am glad. The gods are selfish creatures.”

“Okay,” what on earth could she say after that? She glances around the room again and marvels at how well things have turned out for them. It is a far cry from a cave by the seashore, filled with macabre statues and old unlit candelabras.

“I will leave you to your thoughts. There are clothes in the armoire and the chef made breakfast. Your daughter is eager to see you when you are ready.” They rise from the bed with a smooth grace no normal person possesses, leaving her alone in the room. The beautiful, luxurious room full of things she never thought she’d be able to touch. Sure, she’s been in noble houses before, taking on a job to go clear out a monster that was lurking too close to the manor or was causing trouble within their holdings. She’d never been allowed to touch anything, though. They let her in, had her stand while they fetched all the pertinent information and then quickly ushered her out as if her mere presence would tarnish the silver. It always reminded her of how close she was to being seen as a monster. Now her daughter is and her as well by extension by keeping her safe. 

Now Kass is wrapped up in a beautiful expensive comforter in an opulent room full of gold and finery.  _ My how the low rise _ . 

Kass leaves the bed, finding she is dressed in a flimsy nightgown that smells of sweat. Lovely. She will need a bath later. But now, she simply wishes to dress and make sure her daughter is truly as safe as she was promised. 

She finds some suitable clothes in the armoire, though all notably finer than the clothes she had with her. All in similar styles, however - leather breeches, billowing blouses that fit over horns, and belts that keep the breeches up and the blouses in. 

She dresses quickly then heads out of the room into a long, decorated hallway. The corridor extends down the left and the right, both lined with sconces and elegantly framed art pieces. Wiggling her nose at which path to take, Kass hazards a guess and heads down the left. It leads to a grand two-story entry room with two descending curved stairs. Stained glass filters the light spilling in from what looks to be a several feet tall transom. White stone tile covers the entry floor and it reflects the light from a gigantic glittering chandelier.

Kass lets out a low whistle before carefully stepping down the staircase closest to her. This place is incredible! Kass may have let Melarue leave the cave that day and gave them a good lead, but this is way beyond her. Whatever Melarue did after the Tavern was all them. She has to wonder what exactly it is they did to rise to such wealth so quickly. 

She reaches the bottom of the stairs and turns to go under them and into what appears to be a living room. The furniture is fine and there’s a fire going across the room. Kass heads in the opposite direction of the fire, opens a door, and finds herself in the kitchen. 

“Oh!” The startled chef gasps upon seeing her. 

Kass sighs, “It’s alright, I’m just looking for the dining room. Serah Melarue said there was breakfast and my daughter -

“Oh of course! It’s right through here. You just startled me is all.” The chef steps out around from the stove and counter and heads over to another set of doors. She opens them to reveal a large and lovely dining room, complete with a table that must be able to sit twenty. Ash is in one of those seats, but when the door opens, her head pops up from her food and she smiles so big Kass can’t help but smile in return.

“Mama!” Ash calls, launching herself out of her chair and running up to her. Ash throws herself into her mama’s arms, holding on tight.

“I was so worried! When Melarue showed up in the inn, I thought we were found! And you were so sick, I was so afraid you were going to die. But Melarue brought in the healers and the apothecary and they fixed it.” Kass hugs her back, holding her and thanking whatever there is out there for the good fortune that Melarue found them and hadn’t just left Ash to fend for herself.

“This place is amazing!” Ash goes on, pulling from Kass’s embrace, “I didn’t know you had rich friends. I thought they were all monster hunters.”

“I didn’t either,” Kass murmurs.

“The food is really good too. Chef Losi is really good, she can make anything you want. Yesterday, we had lamb!” The girl is so excited. Kass just smiles and takes a seat next to her and doesn’t say anything about leaving. They can’t stay, for a multitude of reasons. They can’t impose upon Melarue longer than necessary - they’ve been here a week already, a week too long. They say she doesn’t owe them anything, but that is not how life has worked for her. Everyone thinks everyone else owes them something. Just because they’re a monster she helped out once doesn’t exclude them from that. She won’t stay here racking up a debt she can’t ever dream of paying and she is thoroughly uninterested in any form of slavery or indentured servitude. Particularly since Ash is very much involved. She helped Melarue and they’ve helped her, but the tit-for-tat is done now, and while she is happy for them, she doesn’t know them. Kass has been in this position too long to trust an unknown like this.

Most of all, if they stay here, it increases the chance of the hunters finding Ash. Melarue may have escaped the life of constantly hiding, but Ash isn’t there yet. There’s a certain amount of running you have to do before you can stop and hide. Seven months isn’t it. In Kass’s experience, it takes a good year or two of running before the trail goes cold enough to afford them safety. 

Kass will allow it one more day. She needs to pack and take stock of how everything is to plot their next move. 

Chef Losi comes out of the kitchen with a platter piled high with food and sets it in front of Kass.

“Serah Melarue says you need your strength after the week. We’ve only been able to give you broths. Eat up!” Now that the chef mentions it, Kass’s stomach growls in demand. The eggs and sausage and bread call her name with their scents. She devours them all, barely pausing to drink the water supplied. 

“Wow, you’re really hungry,” Ash comments. Kass shrugs and continues her feast until she can’t possibly eat anything else. But now that the hunger is satisfied, she feels shaky and fatigued. She must still be recovering from her illness to feel so worn after so little activity. She takes a few deep breaths.

“Mama? How do you feel? The healer said you would still need time to recover. He was amazed that you pulled through at all…”

Kass goes still at that. She almost didn’t pull through? She didn’t realize it was so serious. It was just a cough, sure it was getting worse and she felt awful, but she’s survived a lot of things. She didn’t think she’d be taken down by a  _ cough _ . 

“I’m okay now, just a little tired. Why don’t you come help me pack and figure out where we’re going next.” Kass puts on a reassuring smile but Ash frowns and her brow sets into her stubborn “I’m doing what  _ I _ want to do” expression.

“No, we need to stay here. At least for a little while. You’re still recovering, Mama. And we haven’t seen any hunters in three months. You weren’t recovered properly the last time and look what happened!” 

“We are not imposing on Serah Melarue’s home.”

“There is no imposition,” Melarue says from the other end of the dining room. Kass turns to them and guesses that they were just on their way out when they overheard her and Ash speaking. They’re in a dark blue dress with a black coat and matching wide-brimmed hat. From this angle, she can barely see their face.

“Please, stay as long as you like. The house is certainly large enough,” they say as they pull on their gloves. Kass rubs her horn, thinking. Her concerns are still there, and they can’t stay forever. That said, she is still weak and who would think to look for them in this expensive home? Former monster hunter on the run is not exactly a lucrative position. 

“Fine, we can stay for a little bit. But we will need to leave,” Kass concedes. Ash lets out a squeal of happiness and hugs Kass tight.

“Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” 

“I will see you both for dinner, then. Good day,” Melarue says then turns and leaves, likely to do whatever it is they do that has made them all this money. 

The rest of the morning is spent with Ash telling Kass about how the week has gone. At Melarue’s allowance, she has read and explored the house and its grounds. She even went to the market with them at their insistence to feel something other than worry. She talks about how they gave her a beautiful aubergine gown and had her done in the latest fashion. The world was so different when seeing it from a carriage window, apparently. The more Ash talks about it, the more Kass realizes that Ash would be so happy in this kind of life. She has always loved fine things, and this wealth...it’s a freedom she hasn’t ever known. Kass wants to provide it for her, but gods know that isn’t exactly possible now. 

Ash insists upon a tour of the house and Kass acquiesces, following her daughter through the mansion, staring at all the art and details in awe. 

“This is the conservatory! I love all the stained glass, it makes me feel like I’m in a painting. Oh! And other there is the indoor pool, isn’t that just amazing?” It is, indeed, amazing. The pool is surrounded by wide panels of glass, like a greenhouse, letting in the sunlight but keeping out any pests. Perhaps Kass can make use of the pool during their stay. It has been so long since she was able to swim for fun.

Ash takes her to the garden next. She skips down the paths, past the central fountain, and toward the greenhouse. Kass moves at a slower pace, taking everything in. Where does someone get this kind of wealth in two years? Not something legal, that much is clear. Kass frowns, they really should leave. 

They tour the rest of the house to find a library, several guest rooms, a sitting room, two guest bathrooms, and a large set of double doors that lead to Melarue’s suite that Ash declares are off-limits. No need to tell Kass twice. By the end of the tour, it’s past midday so they take their lunch and Kass tries not to think about what kind of criminal Melarue has turned into. She let them go thinking they wanted what anyone wanted - to live free without fear of persecution. 

Seeing this place, though...were their intentions always to amass this kind of wealth by any means? It’s a hard pill to swallow. She doesn’t exactly regret helping them, surely she would be dead if she had not, but she isn’t exactly pleased with...all of this. 

After lunch, Kass feels fatigued enough to return to bed. She sleeps the rest of the day away while Ash runs about the house as she pleases. It wasn’t so long ago that she dreamed of retiring from hunting to a nice house filled with nice things. This house is far nicer than anything in her grounded fantasies, but it’s hard not to think that perhaps that they don’t have to leave. They could just...stay here, hiding in plain sight. 

Shit, if politicians, the truest of monsters, could live in gilded houses like this and not be torn limb from limb, why couldn’t misattributed monsters like her and her daughter? 

Alas, her fears are very real. The hunters could find them here, and Melarue is in all likelihood a criminal. Living with a monstrous person is one thing, but living with a criminal? Well, she supposes she is a criminal now too. She is actively harboring a fugitive monster wanted for the murder of two men. Doesn’t matter that those two men had been planning to do horrible things to Ash - they were good human boys, and Ash is tall and behorned with the ability to shoot flames from her hands.

The world isn’t fair. It sees those outside of the prescribed norm as wrong, her life has just confirmed this lesson over and over. From little girl, to teenager, to young woman, to mother, to monster hunter, to hunted. 

Try as she might to sleep, Kass’s thoughts keep her awake and in a semi-restful state. She stares up at the canopy and wonders if it would be so bad to give into a more criminal life. What’s so bad about being a con artist when the marks are the rich who would subjugate her anyways? What’s so bad about stealing from the people who inherited wealth that was likely ill-gotten or derived from labor their ancestors did not perform? What’s so wrong about doing what she needed to do to just live her life, freely and without worries? What’s wrong about Melarue doing that? It’s not like they have many options for “legitimate” work.

She presses the heels of her hands against her forehead, closing her head in a futile attempt to make these thoughts  _ stop _ . It’s just not healthy or good to think like this. She has a plan, a plan that will work and not compromise her morality. 

A soft knock followed by a soft voice inform her that dinner is ready and that Serah Melarue has returned. Wonderful. Kass rises from the bed and fluffs her hair as she leaves the room. Melarue is going to be at dinner. That will be...well, Ash will probably not find it weird after eating with them all week. Or Kass assumes she’s been eating with them all week. She could have eaten with the staff or by herself, but knowing her daughter, she would have wanted to eat with whoever is in charge. 

Kass heads down the stairs, slowing when she hears laughter echoing from the dining room. Her daughter is laughing, she realizes. Ash hasn’t laughed in months, not since they’ve been on the run Kass thinks. 

She enters the dining room from the proper side rather than from the kitchens. Melarue and Ash are already seated, smiling as they talk about...something. Ash smiles awkwardly and walks over to her daughter, taking a seat next to her and across from Melarue. 

“Good evening, Kassaran,” Melarue says, their expression pleasant.

“Hi...by all means, don’t stop just because I’m here, it sounds like you two were having a grand time.” 

“I was telling Melarue about the time a herd of cat-scorpions followed you home and nested in our attack.”

“Ah, they were actually baby manticores. Their wings were so little that their fluff covered them,” Kass explains, “I had to load them into a wagon and take them to a...friend who could keep them until releasing them back into the wild.”

“Why did they follow you home?” Melarue asks and Kass rubs her horn, trying not to look guilty.

“Their mom had started picking off cattle, I was asked to...fix the problem.” She had hoped to simply scare the creature to a new home but it had attacked her and she defended herself. She discovered the babies shortly afterward. The herd didn’t so much follow her home as she purposefully took them home with the intention to bring them to her friend, Myr, who specialized in the care of monstrous creatures. 

“They were so cute! I begged her to keep one.”

“Ah, but manticore kittens don’t stay kittens,” Melarue said. 

“Exactly, there are more sensible pets - such as a regular cat that won’t accidentally poison you,” Kass says, relieved. 

“You two are no fun. Why would a monster hurt another monster, anyways? We’re in the same boat,” Ash plays it casually but Kass knows that her status hurts her. The townspeople turned on her so quickly….

“Sometimes people, and creatures, hurt others without meaning to. It does not help the sting, however - intention matters very little when there is hurt,” Melarue says softly. 

“Uh-huh,” Kass doesn’t really know what to say. She doesn’t want to out Melarue’s status just in case no one else knows. Oh man, maybe  _ that’s  _ why they want her here. What better way to make sure their secret stays secret other than to either eliminate or cage the people who know?

Thankfully, Kass doesn’t have to answer because dinner arrives. Plates full of food are placed in front of each of them before the chef leaves with a flurry. 

“It smells delicious,” Kass comments before cutting into what smells like chicken. After a taste, she confirms its status, as well as the potatoes and the greenery. It’s good,  _ very  _ good. Her appetite comes roaring back to life and she wolfs it all down while making a little commentary here and there for the topics at the table. 

When the dinner plates are removed, the chef quickly replaces them with wine for her and Melarue and a sparkling juice for Ash. 

“I’m fourteen, can’t I have wine too?” She pouts and Kass shakes her head.

“No, not yet,” Kass says firmly. She knows there are others who let their kids drink at fourteen, but Kass just doesn’t think it’s a good idea to give a volatile teenager alcohol. Especially one who can command fire at the wave of a hand. She just...no. She needs more self-control before imbibing.

“Listen to your mother, your youth should be enjoyed without the effects of alcohol.”

Ash scowls, but sips her juice before replying, “Can I go to my room?” Kass sighs but nods. The girl leaves the table and bounds up the stairs. Kass gives Melarue an apologetic look.

“I’m not up for a big fight right now.”

“No, of course not. You are still recovering,” they reply sympathetically. They sip their wine before setting it aside, “Your daughter told me why you are on the run. I’m very sorry for what happened.”

“Me too, you’d think people would think rationally about the situation, but then again...I don’t know. I stopped expecting goodness from people a long time ago.” It’s true. She doesn’t know when it happened, but at some point, Kass just stopped expecting people to behave with kindness or compassion. Especially towards her and people like her. 

“Is that why you helped me and so many others like me?” They ask, voice going quiet she almost misses it. “I know I am not the only one. Sullivan told me about what you did for him, and then for a half-banshee, at least three vampires who hadn’t actually harmed anyone, and more.” 

Kass is at a loss for words. She opens her mouth but nothing comes out. She leans back in the chair and tries to think of a reason but it escapes her.

“Honestly? I don’t know. I just got so tired of it. The more I hunted, the more I saw people, and the more I figured anyone could be labeled a monster. I don’t know how much longer I could do it even if that night hadn’t happened. I’m thankful for those years, now. My knowledge keeps us hidden.” It’s as good of an answer as any. 

“I suppose it does.”

“What about you? You don’t have to let us stay. Your debt is paid,” Kass asks, leaning up to watch them now. She needs the truth, or at least the knowledge that they will not share the truth with her. 

“I told you, everything in this house is -

“Not really my doing. I gave you a start, but this? This is practically a palace, full of wealth that I couldn’t even dream of.”

Melarue purses their lips before taking a sip of wine, “I did not always live in that cave. It was just my latest abode. Once upon a time, I was quite wealthy and I had jewels and jewelry that rivaled any monarch. I brought those jewels with me when I left the cave. I sold most of them after I left Sullivan’s. Not long after that, I ended up in this city and found a man beating a woman,” they scowl at the memory, “she was a prostitute and he was her pimp. I killed him and had her take me to the workhouse. I bought the place with the money I received for the jewels. I hired a healer for the house, fixed the workers’ hours. The house was turning a profit in three months. After six months, I bought another house. After another six months, I was wealthy enough to purchase this mansion. I have slowly renovated it over the last year while eyeing another investment. That is where I was today.” They take a long sip of their wine while Kass just stares at them in shock. They’re not a criminal just...wow. 

“You’re an ethical pimp,” she says, shocked. They chuckle.

“I wouldn’t use  _ that  _ term -

“No, of course not, I -

“But yes, the sentiment remains. What did you imagine earned me this home?” The corner of their mouth quirks up playfully and Kass feels her face flush.

“Honestly? I thought you were some kind of criminal.”

“Oh? Regretting your decision?”

“No,” the answer was without hesitation, “and after I got to thinking, I realized so what if you’re taking money from rich or bad people? There are certainly worse things, and honestly, most of those people have it coming.”

“That is assuming I stole from rich or bad people.”

“True...but you didn’t strike me as someone who would victimize the poor or unfortunate just for your own ends. You could have done that rather than hiding out in the cave. You’re certainly lovely enough for it.” Okay, that is enough wine. They don’t need to hear how pretty she thinks they are and she doesn’t need to put her foot in her mouth more than it is already. 

Their small smile turns into a full grin, “You deduced all of that from a five minute conversation with me in a cave?”

“I’m an observant person,” Kass says dryly. 

“That you are. You are also right, I could have abused my power very easily, but that is not my wish.” 

“What is your wish?” Kass asks softly, finding herself leaning forward. 

They pause and raise their glass to their lips, only to set it down when they realize it’s empty, “My wish...is to retire. I did not realize how late it had gotten.” They rise from their chair and she rises with them as is polite. 

“I should head to bed as well, recovering and all,” she says and moves around the table to accompany them to the rooms upstairs.

“Yes, you should. You gave us all quite the scare. Pneumonia is not to be trifled with,” their words chill her and she stills on the stairs.

“Pneumonia?” Her voice is small and quiet, and Melarue pauses on the stairs to turn to her.

“Yes. It is a miracle you did not succumb to it. Ashokara tells me you were ill a few months ago and she bought a tonic for you. She very well might have saved your life.” 

“And to think I scolded her for spending the money...what a mess this is.” Kass had no idea. She’s been sick before and while this latest bout was horrendously uncomfortable, she feels like she has pulled through worse. She doesn’t doubt the severity of it, though, she did pass out quite dramatically in their arms. Still, Kass doesn’t like to think she was nearly done in by illness. It’s not how she pictured she’d go, then again, she doesn’t like to think about going at all.

“You are alive, that is what matters at the end of the day, mess or no.” They resume the walk upstairs, Kass’s mind still fixed on that she could have  _ died _ . What would Ash have done then? Would she succumb to the hunters? 

“Right, no point in contemplating it otherwise…” she murmurs, trying to do just that.

“The worries of the mind are seldom so satisfied by the command to just stop,” Melarue says as if they can read her thoughts. Maybe they can, she wouldn’t know. She does recall having this concern in the cave. 

“Can you read minds?” She blurts and bites her lip. Damn wine. It’s been so long since she’s had  _ good  _ wine that the paltry amount she had has gone straight to her head.

Luckily for her, Melarue chuckles, “No. Your tone suggested that it would be difficult to not contemplate a much different outcome.” 

Right, typical subtext in the voice. Kass has never been great at concealing her true feelings, something Ash’s father had murmured to her that night. She shakes her head and rids herself of the memory, she hasn’t seen him in fourteen years - there’s no reason to think about that monster.

They turn down the hall, arriving at Kass’s room first. 

“Sleep well, Kassaran,” Melarue says.

“You as well,” she replies before entering the room and closing the door. With her rest before dinner, she isn’t quite tired yet, so she enters the bathroom with a freshly lit candle. She first sets to lighting all the lamps in the room, filling the space with the warm glow of light.

It’s a lovely room, done in hues of white and gray that complement the blues in the bedroom. The floor is covered in hand painted tiles with a white background and gray details that, when combined with the rest of the tiles, form a large pattern that reminds Kass of flowers. The bath itself is situated under a stained glass window filled with blues and yellows. It is too late now to feel the splendor of the colors spilling across the otherwise subdued color scheme. Still, she finds the lack of fuss to be oddly calming at the moment.

A strange shaped mechanism by the bath that catches Kass’s eye. It’s a bronze structure shaped like a water pump. Except there is no spout for the water to leave. Curious, Kass grasps what looks to be the handle, though it is really more of a lever. At the base of the lever is a curved piece of metal with five different symbols. The symbol the lever is currently set to is a full closed circle, set all the way to the right. The symbol to its immediate left is also a circle, but there is an opening. To its left is another circle with two openings. The next, a circle with three openings, then the circle to the furthest left has four openings. 

How interesting. Her curiosity getting the better of her, Kass pulls the lever to the circle with only one opening. The lever is surprisingly easy to move even as she feels the distinct clinking of machinery moving. There’s a hiss and a great rushing sound then the sound of sliding metal. Kass glances up to see a round metal disc rotate on the ceiling directly above the bath. 

“OH!” To her immense delight, water begins to pour from the opening created by the rotating disc. It pools in the bath below, falling not unlike a waterfall. Fascinated, Kass moves from the lever to look in the bath to find the water sluicing down into a drain. She glances over at the counter to see a stopper and hurries to grab it. She inserts the stopper then moves to the lever, pulling it over to the next circle. The disc rotates more, creating a second opening. Ah! That’s it then! She can control how quickly or how much water flows based on the symbols on the lever. How clever!

Marveled, Kass pulls it over to the farthest circle and watches in awe as water gushes down from the openings. Steam is quickly filling the room and she sighs at the moisture. She hails from a humid, tropical place and while humans and elves often complain of the humidity, she adores it. 

She nearly doesn’t notice that the bath is full and only manages to pull the lever back to closed before the bath spills completely over. Still, some will spill when she enters.  _ Worth it _ , she thinks, shucking off her clothing. She grabs a few oils from the counter and then slowly sinks herself into the perfectly warm water. Displaced water runs over the edges of the bath but she can’t bring herself to care as the water already begins to ease her tired, aching muscles. A groan escapes her, she can’t help it. 

Kass settles in, resting for a long moment to just...bask in the glory of the bath. It truly is the perfect temperature. Nearly too hot, but just shy enough to be truly enjoyable. It must be magic, she thinks. That suits her just fine, magic is a wonderful thing in her book, especially when it feels like this. 

She hasn’t had a bath like this in...she doesn’t think she’s ever had a bath like this, truth be told. For as long as she can remember she has only made do with the lukewarm to cold baths provided by the inns and hovels she’s rested in on her journeys. Certainly since leaving home, she hasn’t been able to luxuriate in such a warm and comfortable bath. She did her best to provide a nice home Ash, but the bathwater came from the water pump outside. Kass could heat it up over the stove, but it often lost much of its heat by the time there was enough to fill the tub. Ash could warm it herself, but Kass made do with the lukewarm water. 

Kass submerges herself for a moment, then resurfaces to start working on her hair. She takes her time cleaning her hair and body, finding herself reluctant to leave the bath. But even with the magic, the water begins to cool. Now clean and thoroughly pruned, Kass reaches to the bottom of the bath and pulls out the stopper. The water begins its descent and she steps out of the bath, grabbing a large, fluffy towel on her way. 

It is a while longer before she finally crawls into bed. Her horns need ointment, her hair prepping for sleep. By the time she settles back into the lush bed, it’s past midnight. Her last thought before slipping into sleep is how she has to be careful, she could grow accustomed to this...lavish lifestyle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave kudos and comments!


	3. Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kass struggles with accepting help.

The next few days pass in much the same fashion as the first day she awoke. Her body is still recovering and she finds she tires easily, which means as much as she does not wish to, they remain in Melarue’s home. The second day, she makes remarks that they need to move on, but she has a coughing fit and is quickly taken to bed. Adair, the healer, is brought to her and simply explains that she has overexerted her exhausted lungs. With his guidance and blessing, Ash and Melarue insist she stay until she is fully recovered at least. Despite her concerns, she gives into them. It wouldn’t be protecting Ash in the long run if they were to run off and for her to die on Ash because she insisted on leaving before she was properly recovered.

In the meanwhile, she takes her repose in the library, finding she likes many of the books Melarue has stocked. And what she hasn’t read, she is interested in trying, compiling a list and gets to tackling it in short order. 

Ash sets to school work as well with a new accessory - glasses. Melarue apparently had them made when they saw her struggling with reading a note. Every now and then, Kass hears her daughter gasp as she spies something new to gaze upon. Kass knew her daughter couldn’t see as well as some, but she never...spectacles are a new invention and not exactly accessible to someone of her station. As grateful and happy she is for her daughter, Kass worries this is just another debt she will never be able to repay Melarue. They haven’t asked for any payment or when Kass and Ash will leave, but surely they must feel the effects of their presence. The food costs alone have increased by two people and bringing Kass back from the depths of her illness, plus Ash’s glasses….

“It’s too much,” she tells Melarue on the seventh morning. Ash had just flitted from the room for a morning swim before her new tutor arrived. A tutor Melarue had hired. Kass rubs her horn, shaking her head.

“I can’t pay you, but I can work. I’m good with security, I could help out at one of your houses or...I can learn whatever it is you need because I can’t just sit here and let you...can you tell me what you want from me so I can do it? Please?” She pleads, her heart aching in her chest (though that may be her lungs).

They remain still at the table, the wide dark glasses hiding much of their expression.

“You want to know what I want?” They ask.

“ _ Yes _ .”

“Very well. I want you to be healthy and happy, to relax and enjoy life for once. Ash was quite talkative while you were asleep. She told me of how you always worked to make sure her life was good. I heard of how hard you have allowed your life to be so hers isn’t. What I want, Kassaran, is for your life to not be so hard anymore. There are so few good people in this world, I would hate to see yet another kind soul squashed by the world.”

Too stunned to speak, Kass merely watches as Melarue rises from their seat. Their hand adjusts their glasses then touches their hair before turning and walking from the table. They pause at the double doors before speaking.

“Ash is a lovely girl, I hate to think of her living her life on the run.” They don’t wait for her reply before quickly exiting the room. 

For a long moment, Kass just sits there. They want...her to be healthy and happy. Of all the things she expected,  _ that _ was the last of them. And what was all that about the world squashing another kind soul? She wasn’t getting squashed. Alright, she nearly died last week but that was because of a disease. And yes, maybe she caught the disease because she was forced on the run by bigoted fools. The fact remained that she didn’t die...because of Melarue.

Damn, what kind of situation is this? She has faced more monsters than most hunters or mercenaries could ever hope to survive. She’s bested vampires, worms, werewolves, wild hippogriffs, a pack of crocottas, a very odd sphynx even! She engaged in verbal spars with a gigantic possessed tree that was somehow destroying a nearby apple orchard and would only stop once someone engaged in a battle of wit. On more than one All Soul’s Day, she has spoken with enraged spirits, dispelled ghosts, and even helped banish a demon with a determined priestess. She encountered a naga who was being hunted by a prince, saved her and helped her open a pottery store. So many things and creatures she has experienced, yet nothing in all of her experience of dangerous creatures could ever prepare her for this. She doesn’t even know what to call this. Hospitality is too tame a word and friendship is too familiar. 

“Compassion is a strange thing to experience if someone has never felt its gentle touch,” the maid, Elsi, comments as she comes in to clean the table. Kass frowns.

“I know compassion. I’m a compassionate person.”

Elsi chuckles and looks up, her odd eyes catching the light, “Being compassionate and having compassion shown to you are two separate things, my lady.” When Kass continues to frown at the girl, she rolls her eyes and sets her cleaning supplies to the side. 

“My mother was a harpy who was killed by a hunter who didn’t care to know that she wasn’t terrorizing anyone, just trying to provide for her three daugthers. My sisters were older and took after the hunter, promising to return but they never did. I was starving when Melarue found me. They groomed my feathers and took me in, offered me a place to stay until I was ready to go. I had been alone for three years by that point, scavenging for scraps of food. I didn’t know a kind soul for that entire time until they found me and I fought them hard. I attacked them, screamed at them, and they took it until I was calm enough to tend to me. It was so hard to accept the compassion and I kept feeling like I had to repay them - I brought them so many shiny rocks as is customary in harpy culture. But they wanted what they want for you - health, happiness, and freedom. I learned a valuable lesson from them in this,” Elsi pauses and reaches up to the collar of her dress, pulling out a necklace that copies Melarue’s. She unhooks it and Kass gasps in awe. Dull brown hair is replaced with soft brown feathers that cascade down her shoulders and join the great wings that spring from her back, flight feathers tipped in white. Unlike a full-blooded harpy, she retains separate arms from her wings, her hands however have talons rather than nails. She turns back to Kass, her eyes now showing avian sharpness and curiosity. 

“People are quite like animals. If one has only experienced harsh touches and actions, they expect all touches and actions to be harsh. Compassion breaks that mold and it first feels like it must be insidious. It takes time to learn to accept the good when all you know is bad.” Elsi clicks the necklace back into place and she reverts back to her nondescript maid appearance. She gathers up the remains of breakfast and hurries back into the kitchen. 

Kass blinks and tries to make sense of what just happened. She remembers a job she could have taken about five years ago, two villages coming together to expel a roost of dangerous harpies. The pay was very good but the village was just too far, Kass would have been gone for at least five months just for this one job. She knows the hunter responsible for completing it however, now lauded as a hero rather than just a mercenary hunter. 

She wonders at what would have happened if she had accepted the job instead of him. Would this girl have suffered as much as she has? 

It doesn’t do much to consider such things now, but it prickles at her mind. She could have helped instead of hurt, could have...but all the “coulds” in the world have never turned into a “did.” 

Kass supposes there is truth to what Elsi said about compassion. It’s a wild thought to have, that she hasn’t experienced kindness in so long that she doesn’t know how to handle it. For so long she has been the mercenary, the hunter, compelled to do the right thing by her own moral compass, not because the world has been particularly good to her. Far from it. 

No longer stunned into paralysis, Kass rises from the table and sets out to find Melarue. She is heading up the stairs when they appear at the top, dressed in a lovely gown of aubergine. There are black feathers atop their head and a small veil comes over their glasses, further obscuring their face. 

“Melarue, I would like to apologize,” she says quickly seeing that they are donning their traveling gloves.

“For what?” They ask, stepping down to meet her as she climbs up.

“For my earlier outburst, I was being terribly ungracious and I see now that you are merely compassionate and I am so used to taking care of other people that I don’t have the slightest idea of how to let someone else take care of  _ me _ ,” she babbles quickly, only to stop when they reach up with their ungloved hand to press a single finger to her lips. She stills at their touch, their finger soft on her bitten lip. 

“No apology is necessary, I understand. I was in a similar state when you found me in that cave.” Their hand shifts so that their fingertips caress her cheek in a quick motion. Electricity zings through her making her inhale sharply. The touch is over in a second. They retract their hand but do not move away from her. 

“I will be back much later today,” they murmur, yet still they don’t move. They both stand there, not moving or speaking. She wonders if this is what happens right before they turn someone into a statue. She flexes her fingers to test the theory, finding she can move them, but her legs do not wish to move and neither do her eyes. 

“I feel like I saw more of you in that cave than I do standing here,” she whispers, not knowing what inspired that comment.  _ So inappropriate! _

Their lips part to reply, but a door bangs open downstairs and the sound of shoes on tile echoes up the foyer.

“Melarue, the carriage has arrived,” Elsi calls, jarring them both out of whatever odd stasis had overtaken them. Melarue turns from Kass and slides the glove onto their hand then moves past her to finish their descent down the stairs. Kass turns to watch Elsi slide a coat onto them. Their movements are quick, purposeful, but they pause after opening the front door. They turn ever so slightly towards her before leaving. 

The door clicks shut and silence resounds through the foyer. 

Elsi glances up at Kass and smiles, “Stay awhile, will you?”

“Yes.”

**

Melarue doesn’t return until hours past dinner. The sun has long since set and Kass would have gone to sleep if she hadn’t been caught up in the thought of seeing them again. Clearly, rationality has left her. She is curled up in the library when a shadowed figure slowly walks by the open door. Kass closes the book she was reading and leaps up to follow the figure.

Only when she gets into the hallway does she recognize the figure as Melarue. They are lurching down the hallway, holding their hand up against the light. Their movements are stiff yet uncoordinated, as if nursing an injury. A quick glance to the floor confirms their it - drops of blood trail behind them. 

“Melarue,” she calls. They pause and wave a still gloved hand at her.

“Leave me.”

“I can help,” she says, quickly reaching them. Their head is bent, hair hanging loosely to obscure their face. “Please, let me help,” she whispers. They don’t look at her but nod once. Relieved, Kass bends down and picks them up with ease. 

“I can walk,” they protest.

“Not well, and not fast enough to make sure no one else sees,” she replies in a low voice. A disgruntled sigh escapes them and they do not protest again until she has them upstairs in their sitting room. 

“Here, no further,” they murmur. She closes the door after setting them on a long tufted fainting couch. The gas lamps are still lit in the room, filling the space with a warm glow. When Kass turns to them, their face is contorted into a grimace of pain. 

“Tell me what hurts.”

“My eyes, the lights...the glasses protect everyone else but after awhile…”

“It hurts you,” she finishes for them. She glances around the room, not finding anything she needs to help with that but she knows there are cloths and water in her bathroom. “I will be right back,” she tells them then slips from their room and hurries to her bathroom. She gathers up two cloths and soaks them in warm water before returning to Melarue’s side. She grabs her small first aid kit along the way as well.

“Shut your eyes,” she asks softly. She waits a second then reaches up and slowly eases the heavy glasses off of their face. They are...so beautiful, she thinks, with their sharp features and soft skin. But the pain lines their face and so she gently places the warm, wet cloth over their eyes. 

“Relax,” she murmurs, then sets to work on finding the source of the blood. She finds it quickly enough on their left thigh, a stab wound that has not been bandaged properly. When she leans in, the edges of the wound reveal that there was a toxin used.

“The blade was poisoned.”

“Envenomed, no need to worry, I’m immune,” they say, but she tsks her tongue anyways and sets to cleaning the wound. She takes the catgut out of the stitching kit and heats a needle over one of the flames before stitching them as quickly as she dares. They grunt at the discomfort but otherwise do not speak. She bandages them anew and tells them she is going to put on a spot of healing tea.

They grimace, “Tea, must I suffer.”

“Melarue, you were stabbed.”

“I will withstand the wound.”

“You’re being a bit dramatic, the tea will help,” Kass argues but their mouth is set and she knows there will be no convincing them. Oddly enough, it makes her chuckle. “Very well, no tea. But you need rest, a good bit of it. You shouldn’t go out tomorrow.”

“The knife was aimed for one of my girls, I will need to check on her tomorrow. Her baby could come any day now.”

Kass raises an eyebrow at them, “Someone tried to stab pregnant woman?”

They wave, “Idiotic nobleman’s wife found out about his forays into the house. News traveled that the woman he favors there is pregnant. Since he was vain enough to assume the child is his, he set out to kill his supposed bastard child. Nevermind that the babe isn’t his, we serve all customers a twenty-four hour sterility tonic before seeing one of the workers. Still, I need to be there for her.”

“Smart of you to serve that tonic. But you need the rest. What if...what if I go in your stead? I’ve birthed a few babies in my time, and had a baby as well. Dealt with my fair share of bad folks, too,” she suggests, remaining kneeling by them. 

“I cannot appear weak,” they say and she shakes her head.

“How is sending a large woman with a big sword with lots of experience in both of these areas appearing weak? Unless you see me as weak.”

They raise a finger at her, “You’re trying to manipulate me.”

She grins, “Transparently. Still, my points remain.” 

Even when they cannot see her, they manage to raise their hand and bring it to her cheek, “I suppose I still struggle with accepting help.”

“The best of us do,” Kass whispers, resisting the urge to turn her head into their touch. That same electricity from earlier sparks along her skin, making her heart beat faster. 

The corners of their lips turn upward and their fingers graze lower until they come to her lips. She stops breathing for the barest of moments as the fingers run along her lower lip. 

“Very well,” they whisper so soft she nearly doesn’t catch it. They bring their fingers from her lips to theirs and their voice is louder when they speak, “Go.” It isn’t harsh, but equal parts request and command. One that she is quite happy to follow, her mind in tumultuous confusion and odd arousal. 

She leaves the room and dashes to her own, shutting the door, hoping that perhaps the physical barriers between them will calm the thundering of her heart. For all her experience, she never is prepared for them, she realizes. 

Kass touches her lip where they had, remembering the soft pressure of their fingers. Is it possible they are doing this to her on purpose? There are creatures out there with immense seductive powers and Melarue’s powers have never been mapped in totality. It’s...possible, she supposes, but she doubts for some reason they would use it on her. They made sure she was protected from their eyes and have avoided her for the most part. They are polite in her company, and it is only recently, after their touches, that she has begun to feel this confusing way. 

For all the vipers’ nests she’s been in, both metaphorical and literal, she never anticipated being holed up so happily in one. 

**

The next day, Kass wakes early and dons her mercenary gear. She braids her hair back and adopts her stern, ‘I’m a badass mercenary hunter, don’t mess with me’ look. She looks in the mirror and for the first time in too long of a time she doesn’t feel dread. For so long, this gear meant a hunt or a run, it meant separation from Ash and doing things she didn’t agree with. It meant sacrificing part of herself for survival. Now, however, she feels purposeful. She is going to help this girl at the house and Melarue, and she won’t feel like she’s a useless lump around this mansion. 

Kass leaves the room with more pep in her step than usual. It’s early enough that the sky is still a rich blue with night, only now beginning to light. It’s her favorite time of day, when the dark is just about to be extinguished by the light, but in the meanwhile, the sky is so blue and pure and beautiful. 

The house is just waking as well. Kass comes across Elsi on her way to the kitchen for breakfast to find the girl not yet disguised. Her wings are stretched out as she yawns, her talons flexed as she shakes off sleep. 

“Good morning, Elsi,” Kass says, scooching by her, careful not to touch her wings. 

“Good morning, Kassaran. Melarue is in the sunroom and would like to speak with you before you depart. I’ll bring out tea and scones for you.” The girl clicks her necklace into place, her wings shimmering from view.

“Thank you, and you don’t need to do that. You should be comfortable,” Kass says.

“That is very kind of you, but I’m more comfortable this way. Anyone could come over and I...would not like to be caught unawares.” Kass nods her understanding. As much as Melarue has created a safe haven for atypical creatures, the world is still not safe for them. Elsi has seen and experienced too much to not be paranoid about being caught as masquerading as a human. She would also risk ousting Melarue and any other monstrous people who live in this house. 

Elsi walks to the kitchen while Kass changes direction and heads for the sunroom. The room is adjacent to the glassed-in pool, angled to catch the morning sun. Even now, what little light that is beginning to shed this early is funneled straight into the room. Melarue sits close to a window, their back turned to the light. They are unlike any time Kass has seen them - free of makeup and pomp, dressed only in a plush robe and a large wrap around their head containing their hair. 

They are wearing their glasses again, seeming recovered enough to don them once more. They sip from a large mug, steam curling upward to fog their glasses. 

Their neck is bare. 

It takes Kass a moment to realize they are allowing themselves to appear as they truly are to her. Their gaze is withheld for protection, but here they are in the light, unadorned. Her heart clenches at the sentiment as she takes a seat in the seat across from them. 

“Good morning,” she greets. They lower the mug, but keep it between their hands. Her brow furrows as she notes how their shoulders remain close to them and exactly how thick the material of their robe is.

“Are you cold? I could fetch you a blanket or -

They wave her off, “I am always cold in the morning. It is a part of...who I am.” 

“Don’t tell Ash, she’ll make it her personal mission to keep you warm and may accidentally set you on fire,” Kass jokes, trying to lighten the mood. Their mouth quirks up.

“I am aware of her gift, she will be quite the talented mage. Her tutor is here to assist her with the gift as well as her academics.” 

“You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you,” Kass says, only slightly surprised at this point. 

Their expression turns into a full smirk, “Not everything.”

Elsi chooses that moment to enter the room, setting a tray full of scones, soft-boiled eggs, and tea fixings on the table between Kass and Melarue. Both of them thank Elsi before she slips out again. After a moment, Kass leans forward and fixes her cup of tea - peppermint by the smell, her favorite - and takes a scone along with a good smattering of the clotted cream. Melarue takes a scone and the entire platter of eggs, moving the plate to a table to their immediate right. 

Kass sips her tea and eats her scone. It’s all very delicious of course, the chef is nothing short of amazing. She tries not to pay too much attention to how Melarue eats, but it’s difficult. It’s different from when they have joined Kass and Ash for meals in the past. They eat the eggs first in quick order - all five halves. Before, they ate leisurely, often not finishing much of anything, but here they seem to inhale their food. 

They pause and she feels their gaze shift to her, “My apologies, I-

“No need to apologize,” she says quickly, “diets are part of it. I fed a vampire once, this isn’t nearly as...if anything, the onus on me, I shouldn’t stare. My apologies.” 

She turns back to her tea, letting its warmth heat her up from the inside out. She does not look up again until they speak once more.

“The carriage will come for you soon. My driver will take you to the house, he will be instructed to wait for one of my people to bring materials for me. You will be met by Morwen, ask him to send Aster back with the carriage with all of the books. Morwen will take you to Suvenin, you are to check on her and remain present throughout the day to make sure nothing goes awry. I have written notes for Morwen, Aster, and Suvenin so they know this as per my request.” They hand over the letters and Kass nods, tucking them into the interior breast pocket of her coat. 

“Morwen wears a similar necklace as I do,” Melarue says in a measured voice. Kass nods again, knowing that anything that could give Melarue and the others away also gives up her and her daughter. She needs the preparation that Morwen is like them, however, to make sure she doesn’t give any hints. She’s a former hunter, there are always eyes, always someone who is a little too observant who can be taken advantage of. 

“You are unfortunately very recognizable,” they continue, leaning down to bring up a small wooden box. They set it on the table, nudging it towards her. She picks it up and opens it, finding a necklace mimicking their own. 

“I started the commission for two necklaces when you and your daughter initially arrived. This is the only one that is ready.”

_ But these are for monsters, _ she wants to say but she bites her tongue. Is she not a monster now too? Is she not on the run from those who would slay her and her daughter for merely existing? Pursing her lips, Kass lifts the necklace and snaps it into place around her neck. The tingle of magic vibrates all over her, her skin turning from its soft grey to a cool dark brown. She reaches up and  _ feels _ her horns, but she somehow also knows that those are no longer visible. A glance at her arm reveals that her pearly white hair is now a stark black. 

“Your eyes are the same,” Melarue says, “the eyes are one thing the necklace cannot disguise.” They say it with a hint of bitterness that betrays them. 

Kass gives them a reassuring smile, “I’ll make sure it goes well. They’re safe with me.”

“I know,” they say softly. Their ear twitches and Kass swears she sees their hair covering move, but they reach up and adjust the tie and it’s as if nothing happened. 

“Please remember to rest today,” she reminds them, “some light book work should be fine, but sleep really is the best thing for you right now.”

“Always the mother,” they tease and she shrugs.

“I care.” Their expression softens and they reach up to pat at their hair covering, seemingly at a loss for words. The loss oddly fills Kass with a pride she has no business feeling. She’s had no business feeling half the feelings she’s been having to begin with, she doesn’t need to add this to the pile. Kass rises from her seat and walks over to them, still adjusting to see brown skin when she’s accustomed to grey. 

She sticks out her hand to them, trying not to stare at her befuddling color, “I customarily shake hands with my employer after taking a job. Seals the deal, so to speak.” They eye the hand before sliding theirs to shake hers. Long, slim fingers slide against her palm and hold her hand as she grasps theirs. Their skin is so soft, so smooth and the touch feeds a hunger that has been growing inside of her. 

They release her, a small smile spreading across their face, “It’s sealed. If you need assistance, do not hesitate to send for me.”

“Of course. Now rest up, or I’ll make you drink that tea.” She wags her finger at them as she strides from the room and towards the front to meet the driver. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	4. Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kassaran heads out to the pleasure house and returns home to Melarue.

For the first time since entering the house, Kass leaves it. The early morning is lazy with activity, but slowly rousing as shopkeepers begin to arrange their stores, street harkers setting up their stalls. Kass walks down the pathway leading away from the house to the edge of the small side road that allows the carriage to be held during the night. Big black horses with shiny coats and bridles pull the carriage forward to a stop where Kass is. The driver hops down from his vantage point and opens the door for her. She thanks him while she climbs into the surprisingly spacious carriage.

All of the carriages she has had the misfortune of riding have been terribly claustrophobic for her towering height. This one is larger, however, likely due to Melarue’s own height and propensity for hair adornments. Kass’s head still brushes the top of the roof, but she can sit straight up instead of having to slouch to merely fit. 

The carriage lurches forward to pull into the street, joining the rest of the early risers getting a start on the day. Curious, Kass pulls a curtain of the window to the side to watch the city pass by. When they arrived at what must have been a month or more ago, they had stayed in the poorer districts, not daring to breach the cleaner upper class districts full of people who would wish people like her and Ash gone. It’s interesting to see now, the streets clean, the people dressed well, even for working folks. 

The driver guides the carriage through smooth streets lined with well-manicured trees until they are in a district full of large colorful houses. Blues, pinks, greens, and yellow buildings sprawl along the streets, signs hanging invitingly in front of gargantuan double doors inviting all to enter. It’s the Painted District, home to pleasure houses, music and food halls, and expensive lodging. She only knows this from overhearing people speak at the inn. They spoke of the “expensive whores” and “overpriced swill” while still pining for such things. 

It is a beautiful district, centered and grounded by a beautiful garden that she admires as they pass it. The carriage pulls around to the north end of the garden and stops in front of a lovely rose-pink building with gold gilded trim along the eaves and surrounding the great oak door. There is no sign that spells out the name of the house, but a large carving of an orchid graces the door. 

The driver opens the door and Kass exits the carriage, her eyes still on the beautiful building before her. She hadn’t realized Melarue owned one of these places, but it makes sense. 

Well, this is where her work is now, so she tugs on her coat and stride up to the door. She doesn’t even get the chance to knock before it opens from the inside. An elegant man with dark curling hair stands in the doorway, a comfortable smile gracing his features. His eyes are bright and make her think of dances and music with their lightness, of plum wine and celebration. 

“Good morning, may I help you? The house is not yet open,” he says though he must recognize the carriage.

“My name is Kass, I am here on Melarue’s behalf. I have a letter explaining everything,” she fiddles with the interior pocket to pull out the three notes, “I am to assist Suvenin. Oh and to request that Aster return to them with the books.”

He takes the note titled  _ Morwen _ , opens it, and looks it over for a moment. He glances back to her then the page and tilts his head in curiosity before that easy smile grows into a grin. 

“You are  _ the  _ Kassaran,” he says, violet eyes flickering up to hers. She nods and resists shifting uncomfortably. She supposes they would have spoken to someone about what happened in the cave, but it’s still odd for him to know who she is and something she has done that she has worked to keep secret. 

“Well, come on in! It is so dreadfully cold these winter mornings.” He ushers her inside and then promptly turns and begins to walk at a brisk pace. Kass follows him, her long strides helping her keep up. 

“Suvenin truly is due any moment, fit to burst really. The nobleman, Count du Marche, is a fool to think he is virile enough to have gotten her with child when he hasn’t even succeeded in the task with his own wife.” He talks as they walk, quickly opening a door where a small, elven woman sits at a desk, large spectacles adorning her face that Kass thinks has nothing to do with disguising her features as it does allowing her to read. 

“Aster, this is Kassaran. Kassaran, this is Aster, she handles the books here at the Orchid. Aster, Melarue is requesting you go to their home with the books, they want a look-see.” He hands the woman one of the letters then gestures for Kass to continue to follow him as he leaves.

“Lovely to meet you, Aster.”

“You as well!”

Kass skips back up to Morwen who continues to speak, “The Orchid is one of the most reputable pleasure houses in the city, the other is the Silk Purse, also owned by Melarue. The Purse is located in the Iron District and is the first house Melarue purchased. The Orchid, however, only serves the upper echelon.”

“Clearly; this is the nicest such establishment I’ve been in.”

“Been in many, have you?” He asks and she rolls her eyes.

“A few, mostly as security, once as a worker when I was much younger.” It was a lifetime ago, before she was a mercenary. Before she knew how to fight or anything about fighting, Kass worked in a brothel. She would lay on the bed, bid those to come to her and at the beginning of the day, and at the end of the day, she’d return to her tiny apartment and pray for an end to it. Then she met Ash’s father. 

Morwen turns to her, eyebrow quirked in curiosity but she doesn’t offer anything else. Her past is hers, and in the end, it’s what got her here. Got her Ash, got her to Melarue and this place. That thought catches her by surprise. No time to analyze that right now, though, she’s got a job to do.

They head up two flights of stairs until they come to a corner room. Morwen knocks twice on the door and a pretty, accented voice says, “Come in.” He opens the door to reveal a wonderfully lush and sensual room, draped in red silks. A beautiful woman lies in repose on a chaise, her long form draped by a long pearlescent feathered dressing gown that compliments her dark skin and midnight hair. She wears a headband with descending beads that look like stars against the full darkness of her hair. She turns toward Kass, the movement highlighting the length of her ears and neck, the broadness of her features. In all, she is simply one of the most gorgeous people Kass has ever seen. And very, very pregnant. 

Her face brightens as soon as she sees them, her full mouth spreading into an inviting smile. 

“Morwen, you’ve brought a guest,” she says, eyeing Kass with friendly curiosity. 

“Suvenin, this is Kassaran. Serah Melarue sent her to help out with the situation, she also has experience delivering babies - including her own.” He walks into the room and hands her the final letter. Suvenin takes the letter but she doesn’t immediately read it, instead she looks over to Kass, her warm eyes running up and down Kass’s figure. Her hand runs over the curve of her stomach.

“None of the others have had a baby. I’ve felt so alone even though I’m so excited,” Suvenin confesses and Kass can see the love she has for her baby already. She smiles at the younger woman and steps into the room.

“Having a baby is difficult, it’s not really pleasant - nothing can really prepare you for parenthood, because there really is nothing like it. The love you feel for your baby is unlike any other love in the world.” She gives Suvenin a reassuring smile, “You’re a strong woman, you’ll get through this. Is there a healer on call? I can oversee the birth if need be, but I can’t also maintain guard.”

“A healer will be called as soon as she goes into labor,” Morwen confirms. Kass nods and begins to walk the perimeter of the room, noting the two windows that open outward. She checks that they can only be open from the inside. 

“I just want to have this baby already, I’m tired of being pregnant.”

“Oh pregnancy is literally the worst, I hated it.”

“The cravings I can handle, but the gas and indigestion, the  _ heartburn _ ,” Suvenin groans and Kass turns to her in sympathy. Pregnancy is a terrible thing. She’d suffer it again for Ash and  _ maybe _ if she wanted another child, but in general...pregnancy is not something anyone should look forward to, in her opinion. Look forward to the baby, to the child, but just being pregnant? She’d rather face a giant worm, and that’s not even considering the labor.

Once Kass finishes making her rounds of the room and the landing outside, she returns to Suvenin’s side. She keeps adjusting her position, her face contorted into an expression of discomfort and annoyance.

“Here,” Kass says, grabbing pillows from the palatial bed. She helps create a nest to support Suvinen’s back and abdomen while keeping her neck properly aligned. The elf groans at the comfort, her muscles immediately relaxing once in the position.

“Oh you are good, why hasn’t Melarue brought you in before?” She says low and happy, big brown eyes flickering open to watch as Kass takes a seat on the bed. 

Kass can’t help but smile, shrugging, “I’m...fairly new in town. I met Melarue years ago, though.” If Suvenin doesn’t know the story, then she isn’t going to say anything. She has no idea how open Melarue is with their employees about what they are. She assumes Morwen knows since he wears a necklace just like Melarue’s, though his is set with amethyst rather than emerald.

“Well, if your first day on the job is anything to judge by, I hope you stay.” She yawns and stretches before her body relaxes and her eyes flutter shut. She’s asleep before Kass can respond, which is understandable. She must be so tired from the pregnancy itself but also fearing the Count could come in at any point and threaten her life. 

Well, she is not about to let that Count get anywhere close to Suvenin. 

Kass rises from the bed and secures the room before shutting the door and heading downstairs to inspect all of the defenses already in place. Melarue has guards at all of the entrances, dressed elegantly so as to not be terrifying, but rather suitably intimidating. Their armor is largely covered by black expensive-looking tunics emblazoned with a silver orchid. Their hips carry a single scabbard each, and gauntleted hands rest upon the hilts of the swords as they patrol near the entrances. Each guard looks so perfectly at ease in the environment, their accoutrements gleaming and befitting such an establishment. 

Kass doesn’t nearly look so at home with her weathered dark brown leather trench coat over trusty plate that no longer quite shines, but nothing has broken it so far. Her weapon of choice, a simple looking one-handed axe, is hidden under the coat, while her short-sword sits outside of the coat. It’s a game she likes to play - her opponents will ready themselves for a short-sword and she’ll come at them with an axe with quick relentless attacks. 

The deception will work well here, she thinks. More to the point, she wonders how exactly the Count managed to get to Suvenin the other day without one of the guards stopping him. Frowning, Kass begins to ask the guards to recount what happened yesterday. 

Apparently, yesterday was the first time the Count had showed any aggression. He had been frequenting the Orchid for the past year. Suvenin was the only woman he deigned to see, said she was the best of any girl he had ever met. According to more than one guard, he had offered more than once to make her his mistress, but Suvenin would have none of it. She entertained the Count and was happy to take his money, but that was where her affection for him ended. 

“Would Melarue have let her go?” Kass asked.

“Of course, if it was what she wanted,” the guard answered without hesitation.

Once Suvenin became pregnant, Melarue had taken her off of the rotation immediately. They allowed her to keep her room, but also offered to let her stay at a small home they owned outside of the city meant just for this sort of thing. Suvenin had accepted initially, traveling to the countryside to live in peace as her babe grew. However, she had grown quite nervous in the last month. She claimed she was being stalked by shadows at night and that she feared for her and her baby’s life. Disturbed by this news, Melarue had her taken back to the house to finish her pregnancy.

Two weeks after Suvenin’s return, the Count came to the Orchid, apparently hearing of her return. Suvenin saw him only to tell him of her pregnancy, or show him at this point, and that she would be unable to see him for some time while her body recovered and she was settled with her baby. Amazingly, the Count had not grown violent. Instead, he left abruptly and silently. The next day, a woman showed up at the Orchid  _ screaming  _ in the street that some elven bitch had polluted her husband. She was escorted away but not before she threatened to slay the witch that had corrupted her family. 

Then yesterday happened. The Count arrived and the guards let him in because he did not seem unhinged or violent. They took him to the office while they sent for Melarue. Carefully, the head of the guard, a nice fellow by the name of Yren, explained to the Count that he could not see Suvenin, that she was in no condition to be entertaining. Melarue arrived to put in more certain words that Suvenin was not available.

“They didn’t offer another of the workers, got to wonder if they saw it in his eyes, y’know?” Yren said as he told the story.

After Melarue explained Suvenin was not available, the Count lost it. He screamed and bellowed and then brandished a wicked looking knife. Before anyone could react and with a quickness no one suspected, he shoved Melarue out of the way and bolted through the house to Suvenin’s room. He threw open the door and charged at her. Just as his knife came down, Melarue was there, his knife buried in their thigh instead of Suvenin’s belly.

“I can’t have a bastard!” He cried over and over. Melarue had him thrown into the street, barred from ever coming into any of their houses again. 

“That’s horrible,” Kass whispers, sitting opposite of Morwen. He nods, sipping his tea.

“It was quite the scare. Everyone was worried he would try to return, many still are. We tried to send for a healer for Melarue but...well, you know them.” He pauses, stirring his tea.

“They do not like receiving help,” Kass replies softly.

“Unless it’s from you,” he says so quietly that she almost misses it. Her face flushes for some odd reason and she only hopes that this new skin tone makes it harder for the color to be detected. 

“I’m afraid I’m just very stubborn,” she says, averting her gaze.

His eyes twinkle, “So you are. I’m glad they found you that night.” She feels his tone is laden with meaning she cannot decipher, or she could, but she really doesn’t want to think about that. Just like she doesn’t want to think about how it feels to have Melarue’s fingertips touch her lips. Those things can just go into Don’t Think About It box in her mind, and she can go about her day. She has a job to do.

After the brief interlude with Morwen in the large sitting room towards the back of the house, Kass returns to keeping watch at Suvenin’s door. The woman is snoring up a storm, so loud that some pass by with raised eyebrows. She overhears a conversation between a courtesan and his patron who remarks quite loudly that he cannot  _ focus _ on the task at  _ hand _ with that  _ blasted  _ noise. Kass has to bite her tongue to stop herself from making a snide remark. The courtesan seems to have it under control, however, for the next moment, the patron begins to laugh - then moans loudly before he’s ushered into a room. Well, then. 

How odd it is to be back in a pleasure house. She had sworn to never to return this line of work, she isn’t made for it and it nearly broke her as a teenager, yet here she is - in a pleasure house, standing guard. Things are different now, though. She’s older and wiser, stronger too. Life’s weird, she thinks, how it comes back like this. Still, things are different, she’s different and she doesn’t feel so bad now. 

Kass leans her head back against the wall, listening to the ambient sounds of life in a pleasure house. She listens for anything to indicate the Count has returned and fortunately, there is no clamoring of the guard or screams from the courtesans or patrons. 

“Oh!” A gasp followed by a cry of pain has Kass rushing into Suvenin’s room without thinking. 

“What’s happening,” she asks, her eyes darting around the room, searching for the Count before falling to Suvenin, now sitting up on the chaise, hand clutching her stomach.

“I-I think the baby is coming,” she says. Kass’s eyes widen and then she snaps into action.

“Alright, tell me what you’re feeling.”

“Pressure and my legs are wet...I think my water broke.”

“May I check?” Kass asks and Suvenin nods. She moves to the chaise and checks for the wetness that would indicate Suvenin’s water breaking. After finding the wet spot, Kass nods.

“The baby is coming, I’m going to get Morwen and the healer -

Suvenin reaches up and quickly latches to Kass’s arm, “Don’t leave, please.” Fear and uncertainty fill the woman’s eyes and Kass nods.

“I’m not going anywhere, but we need to send for a healer. I can help birth the baby, but a professional is best.” Suvenin’s are wide but she nods and retracts her hand, allowing Kass to quickly run out of the room to find the nearest worker.

“We need Morwen and a healer, Suvenin’s baby is coming,” she tells them. Their eyes go wide but they say “On it!” before darting down the hall. Kass returns to find Suvenin rising from the chaise. 

“Can I walk? Is it safe? I want to walk, I’m a pacer, I can’t just sit still when I’m nervous and I’m terrified anything could happen, I didn’t really even think this through, I just wanted to be a mother and so did he and he’s not even  _ here! _ ” She’s already pacing, her breathing increasing until she sounds like she’s on the verge of hyperventilating. 

“Pacing is absolutely fine as long as you don’t feel pain doing so. As far as your partner goes, where is he? Maybe we can send for him.” Kass makes sure to keep her voice calm. Suvenin can spin out as much as she wants, she is going to be pushing out a baby, she gets to be irrational.

“Lachlain is...he can’t come. The moon…” Suvnenin gestures and makes a choking sound, “he’s a good man. I don’t care what he is, he’s my best friend.”

“Is he...not your lover?” Kass asks softly and she shakes her head.

“No, but we both wanted a child. I’ve always known what he is and it didn’t bother me. He’s a guard here except when…”

“When he can’t be,” Kass finishes for her, recalling the fullness of the moon. He definitely shouldn’t be anywhere near Suvenin and the baby until the moon is out of its phase. It also makes sense as to why Suvenin is going into labor now. Werewolf babies are often born during full moons, called out to the world by the moon’s siren song. With that knowledge, she wonders if they really should send for a healer. Suvenin’s baby will look elven, or half-elven depending, Kass doesn’t know if Lachlain is an elf or not, but the baby may also...be different. She isn’t entirely sure how the baby will be different, she’s never delivered a werewolf baby before, but she can’t rule out the possibility that the baby will show tell-tale signs of its monstrous heritage.

Suvenin hisses in a breath and from the lines on her face, the tension in her body, Kass can tell she’s having a contraction - the first of many to come. When Suvenin opens her eyes, they’re full of determination.

Kass steadies herself then sets to work. She comforts and guides Suvenin as much as she can until Morwen and the healer arrive. She breathes a sigh of relief when it’s the healer Adair that walks in, his bubbly personality lighting up the room. Fear for the babe quickly abates; Adair is on Melarue’s retainer, he knows and is discreet. Kass shifts her role to support Suvenin as the healer guides her to lay on the bed. Several hours later and Suvenin is screaming and pushing. Her hand is clamped onto Kass’s and while the grip is painful, Kass doesn’t say a word. Births are amazing things, awful things, but amazing. The pain and turmoil of bringing a new life into the world is...magical, and she wouldn’t miss this for the world.

Suvenin’s labor is relatively short, at least compared to Kass’s labor with Ash. It takes only seven hours for everything to happen. The sun has set and the moon has risen by the time the little baby finally comes into the world, screaming (or more like howling) and wriggling in surprise. The healer quickly passes the baby to his assistant then tends to helping Suvenin pass the placenta and healing the subsequent pains incurred by labor. 

“My baby, Kass….” Suvenin gasps, exhaustion and worry so strong in her voice. Kass nods and lets go of Suvenin’s hand to move to where the baby is kicking and howling. Kass looks the baby over and smiles.

“You have a beautiful baby girl, Suvenin.” The babe is wrinkled and pale, never having seen the sun, but it’s clear she is to inherit her mother’s warm, dark skin. Her hair though, must come from her father for it is a shock of bright red curling around the drooping points of her ears. Kass helps the assistant swaddle the babe then takes her so delicately in her arms, instinctively cooing at the tiny thing to calm her. Kass almost fears she’ll hurt the babe, she’s so big and strong and the babe is so very small. 

Carefully, oh so very gently, Kass carries her back to her mother. Suvenin reaches for her immediately.

“Here she is,” Kass says as she transfers the baby to her mother’s arms. 

“Oh! Oooh,” Suvenin cries, cradling her child close. “Look at you, oh look at you. You’re perfect.” The new mother continues to coo and fawn over the babe making Kass’s heart clench with wishful sentiment. There has always been a small part, or maybe not such a small part but an ignored part of her that has desired more children. She could barely support Ash on her own, though, not to mention another child and all the time a baby takes. She could hardly take time from her endless work to care for a new baby. 

Still, this is beautiful and she would not have missed this for the world. She hasn’t helped deliver a baby for six years. With the darkness in the world, it is so easy to forget this purest form of magic. 

Kass stays long enough to make sure Suvenin is settled with the baby and that the house has closed for the rest of the night to allow the new little family some peace. Once cleaned up, the other courtesans begin to visit one by one, each doting upon Suvenin and the child. A child who has apparently yet to be named. 

“I can’t name her without Lachlain here, he needs to see her first,” Suvenin insists. So the little baby remains nameless until the full moon passes and her father can return to her safely. 

It is near midnight by the time Kass leaves the Orchid, sufficiently convinced that the Count will not be visiting in the dead of night for a terrible surprise. She is exhausted, but happy, this was a good exertion and a marvel to witness. The driver is waiting for her when she leaves the building and helps her into the carriage. It takes all her willpower to not lean back and fall asleep as he pulls away from the Orchid to head home. 

_ Home _ . How quickly she’s starting to think of Melarue’s home as her own when she really has no business thinking such a thing. Her and Ash are guests.

Thanks to the lack of traffic, the trip to the house is short and Kass is hopping out of the carriage in no time. She thanks the driver who nods, tipping his hat. For a brief moment, Kass catches the reflection of light in his eyes, a tell-tale of red. Kass returns the nod before heading inside, too tired to process the driver’s vampiric status. He’s a vampire, whatever, she’s tired and would like a bath. 

The house is very still at night, the lights low and quiet fills the home. Kass keeps her footsteps as silent as possible to avoid disturbing anyone. It is so very late and she’d hate -

“I was wondering when you would return,” a smooth voice says, jerking her attention to the center of the sitting room adjacent to the kitchen. A tall, slender figure rises from their seated position and her heart calms.

“Melarue, yes, it was...an exciting day. No signs of the Count and Suvenin had her baby! A little girl! Most likely,” she says as they approach. Their glasses and necklace are back in place, making them look like the normal beautiful elf as before. 

“Oh! I missed it. I will have to go tomorrow.”

“Not so fast, how are you feeling?” She asks, crossing her arms to look more imposing, but she’s smiling and she is sure that reduces the effect. Melarue smiles back and gracefully descends to sit on a chair.

“I am healed, but you may confirm with your own eyes,” they permit, pulling their skirts to the side. The trust they show her, it warms her heart and softens her expression. 

“Of course, I’d be remiss to neglect your healing,” she says, following the playful lines of their speech. She crouches by them and shifts their skirts to the side to expose the expanse of their leg. Her fingers move up to gently undo the bandage still wrapped around their upper thigh. The white cloth is stained red, but when she removes the bandage all she finds is smooth, unblemished skin. There is not even a scab or scar to evidence the attack - they are completely whole. She runs a thumb over where the wound was, relief and astonishment filling her heart.

“You’re healed,” she breathes, amazed at how quickly they regenerated, “you truly did not need me last night.” She should...take a note of it, but she doesn’t want to. She doesn’t want documentation about them that could be used against them, not even in her personal notes. 

“I am healed, and I have you to thank for the lack of pain, the easiness of it,” they say softly, though she wonders if they are only saying it for her benefit. She hasn’t exactly been doing a great job of taking care of people lately. Kass looks up at them, about to reply when they lean forward, so forward they are a breath away from her. She stops breathing as their hands reach out to her neck. Kass angles her head forward, unsure but not wanting to move. 

They reach around her neck and  _ snap _ , unclasps the necklace Kass had forgotten. Her skin turns back to grey and she feels her horns shimmer back into visibility. They pull the necklace from her, folding it in their lap, but they don’t remove themselves from her. 

“I -

“You are so beautiful,” they whisper then close the gap between them. Their lips press against hers, soft and asking. Her eyes snap open wide, shocked and pleased and they’re  _ kissing  _ her. 

Oh. 

A million thoughts shoot through her mind in the span of a second. Thoughts that don’t matter because her body has decided to kiss them back. She leans up, moving her lips against theirs, eyes fluttering closed, her body relaxing as she gives herself into the kiss. 

Their lips are soft, a delightful contrast to the sharp angles of their face. But here they are sweet and almost delicate with her. She angles her head as their hands come up to cup her face. Affection and desire flow quickly through her, a heady combination that has her parting her lips, her tongue darting out to run along the seam of their lips. She feels more than hears them gasp, lips parting to deepen the kiss so their tongues meet. 

Not thinking beyond the pleasure of the kiss, Kass leans up and moves her hand to cup their face. Her fingers bump into their glasses and all of a sudden, they’re away from her, their back to her.

How could she be so thoughtless? She could have…

“Melarue, I’m sorry, I didn’t think, I…” her voice trails off, her body still recovering from the sudden passions awakened by the kiss now mixing with the sudden shock of worry.

“The fault is mine, I acted impulsively and…selfishly,” they say, their voice dark and distant. Before she can even reply that she too was impulsive and selfish and hey, let’s be selfish and impulsive again, but maybe with a blindfold in place, they rise from the chair and quickly make their way across the room. They move faster than she expected, but she darts up and follows them.

“Good night, Kassaran. I will not see you tomorrow.” Then they are gone, blending into the shadows and disappearing right before her eyes. 

There is a part of her that whispers that they are a monster, look at how easily they slip away, and they said it themselves - they’re dangerous. Yet there is a larger part of her that has her climbing the stairs, drawn to the locked doors of their private quarters. She lays her palm against the solid wood of the door, knowing they need space and knowing she very much does not want to give it to them. 

The door is locked and there is no moving it. Resigned, Kass turns from the door and makes her way to her room then bathroom. She starts the bath, but halfway through filling the tub, she pulls the stopper and just steps under the deluge. Water sluices down her body, warm and pleasantly forcefulI. Her strained muscles in her neck and shoulders feel massaged by the water and there is something so nice about the fall on top of her head as well. Thoughts of Melarue fill her head, replaying the kiss and the feel of them. Desire coils low in her belly that has her questioning herself. She’s never been attracted to a monstrous person before, not even a vampire and they have a bit of a reputation for being alluring. No doubt she has encountered beautiful vampires, they’re all sort of eerily beautiful in their own way, with their opalescent skin and smooth movements. Yet, she hasn’t felt desire for any of them, though the majority of vamps she’s faced have been coming at her throat in a very non-consensual and unsexy way. 

Melarue is unlike anyone she’s met, monstrous or otherwise. She supposes some of that can be attributed to never having met a monster like them, but she feels that a large part of their uniqueness can be attributed to simply  _ them _ . They are kind and compassionate, and she enjoys their playfulness when the mood suits them, or the little smiles that will grace their features when something humors them. She likes how they treat other people, and she really likes how they treat her and Ash. 

She shuts off the water and dries herself off, her mind still whirring. They kissed her and she kissed them back and she is fairly certain that it would have grown between them had she not bumped their glasses. It’s easy to imagine what she would have done next, slowing climbing atop them, pushing them back into the plush chaise. 

Such thoughts follow her as she braids her hair and dons her sleeping cap. She’s still contemplating the whole thing when she climbs into bed, soft and warm. Her fingers find her lips, marveling that not too long ago Melarue kissed them. She wants to feel them again, kiss them again. 

Their recoil from her was not directed towards her, she knows she isn’t to blame for their sudden fleeing. They also aren’t to blame, and she isn’t so sure they know that. She wonders if kissing them some more will assuage their fear.

Kass falls asleep, sweetly, comfortably, and for the first time in a long while, looking forward to what the next day will bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	5. Part 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ;) Kass bonds Ash and later with Melarue in a completely different way ;)

Unfortunately, Melarue keeps to their word. Kass doesn’t see them the next day. They leave before dawn, reportedly bundled and a little sluggish but definitely leaving with a purpose.

“They told me to tell you they are spending the day with Suvenin and the baby,” Elsi continues as she sets the table for Kass and Ash’s breakfast. 

“Oh! Mama, can I show you what I’ve been working on?”

“Of course, baby.” A pang of guilt shoots through Kass as she realizes how little time she’s spent with Ash since waking. She’s made sure to eat her meals with her, save for yesterday of course, but the days have largely passed in a way where Ash has been off with her tutor and Kass has...not been around.

Today will be different.

After breakfast, Ash leads Kass to the pavilion in the garden. Her instructor is already there, a tall man with a shock of white hair and pearlescent skin. His ears are long and reach back, though not nearly as much as his horns. 

“Ser Lokraan is like us, but his mother was an elf,” Ash explains, striding comfortably up to the man. He enters a graceful bow when Kass steps onto the pavilion, his white hair falling forward in a cascade. 

“A pleasure to meet you, lady Kassaran,” he says in a deep, rumbling voice. Kass grimaces and waves him off.

“I am no lady, please just call me Kass. It’s good to meet you.” She smiles even as the hair on the back of her neck rises. Over the years, Kass has developed a sort of sixth sense when it comes to monstrous people. She’s not talking about the obvious monsters, the giant worms and the slime monsters that live in sewers, but the kind that hide in plain sight. They’re the most dangerous, and most people don’t know how to protect themselves from them. Kass, however, is not most people.

Many monstrous people move in a different way from non-monstrous people. Depending on their natures, movements can be preternaturally smooth like a vampire, or more disjointed like a fawn who is walking on hooves, not feet. Head tilts are a good way to tell as well, many monstrous people have heightened hearing and will tilt their heads in ways to pick up on more sounds. Some creatures are just...different in a way that Kass can’t quite pin down, but she just  _ knows _ . 

Lokraan falls into that last category. Nothing about him seems overly different except for his striking features, but there is a sense of  _ other  _ about him that makes Kass want to retract her hand a little faster and watch him a little closer. 

_ No _ , she reminds herself. Melarue hired Lokraan to train Ashokara. They clearly trust him enough to allow him into their home and to train Ash, so Kass should trust him. She doesn’t think Melarue would put anyone dangerous with Ash.

_ Not intentionally, _ that small voice in her head whispers. 

He exits his bow gracefully, pink-hued eyes flickering up to her blue. His wide mouth spreads into an oddly charming toothy smile, “Kass it is. Now Ash, let’s show your dear mother what we’ve accomplished so far.” With a quick flourish of his cape, Lokraan turns and gestures for Ash to join him. She skips up to him and falls into her stance.

The demonstration is beautiful. Ash’s fiery blue magic has matured and grown so much, it makes Kass proud. And afraid. She knows the older a mage gets, the harder it is to hide magic, it’s a part of the mage, an  _ important _ part. Ash’s magic is beautiful but undeniably dangerous and strong, and her heritage does not help in her image. She doesn’t want Ash to ever feel like she has to diminish herself for safety.

_ Isn’t that what we’ve had to do in the last year? _ A sinister part of her whispers in her mind. More guilt tells her that yes, they’ve had to do exactly that to survive. As she watches Ash perform, her magic swirling in a dancing cloud around her, she realizes just how horribly unfair it would be for her to ask Ash to give all of this up again if they left this place. 

As safe as it might be to leave...a life lived in fear is no life at all. She wants better for Ash, and for herself. 

After the demonstration, Kass praises Ash and thanks Lokraan. He is courteous and humble, but she can see the glimmer of pride in his eyes. A success for Ash is a success for him, which is fine in her book - it will motivate him to make sure she succeeds. 

“Time for academics!” Lokraan declares, “Kass, we shall be in the library if you have need of us.” 

“I’ll walk you inside,” she says, falling into step with them. “What books are you studying?”

“Lokraan is teaching me arithmetic and we’re currently reading  _ The Hightown Noble _ . I like the books about dragons better.” She mumbles the second sentiment, but her eyes are bright and Kass knows she’s enjoying herself. She’s learning and doing  _ well _ .

“Well, dragons are very interesting. Maybe Lokraan can teach you about dragons next.” Kass has thankfully not encountered a dragon. From what she understands, they’re pretty rare and largely now content to live in their respective homes and territories. There are some hunters and mercenaries who seek the creatures out for epic battle, and most of those get eaten. The others perish from their chosen dragon’s breath. Kass has never desired to meet such an end, so she has avoided all hirings related to dragons. She’d take a stray wyvern, but never a drake or dragon. Ash, however, has always been fascinated by the beasts. Kass supposes her daughter feels a certain kinship with them, with all the fire and horns and whatnot. 

“I may have a tome detailing some of the larger fauna that live in the west,” Lokraan comments. 

“Please!” Ash asks, eliciting a chuckle. 

“Very well, we can dabble a bit in zoology. Our basics must still be learned.”

“Of course!” Ash agrees quickly, making Kass chuckle. Her eagerness is so endearing, and good to hear. Kass had feared she hadn’t done a good enough job of educating Ash, or providing opportunities for her to be educated. She feared that as a result, Ash’s desire to learn had been stunted, but here she is, eager to learn about the things that interest her. 

When they enter the library, she sees that the mathematics they are working on aren’t entirely basic either. Kass had picked up this particular book at one point, only to swiftly set it aside. This type of arithmetic doesn’t mesh well with her mind - she’s good with budgets because she has to be, but the rest of math...it doesn’t suit her. Her brain seems to do better with literature. And fighting, though she really just prefers the literature. While she doesn’t have the mind for the arithmetic, she’s so happy to see her daughter be encouraged to explore it so she could have it. 

“I’ll leave you to your lessons, little one. I’ll bring lunch later,” she says and Ash nods, already absorbed in her work. Lokraan glances up to Kass, the light-heartedness gone and replaced with a possessive expression that unsettles Kass. As Kass leaves the library, she frowns but tries not to let it bother her too much. Lokraan is odd, and his oddness is likely explained by whatever monstrous characteristics he has, Kass tells herself.

She heads back outside to wander the grounds, pulling her cloak tighter against her to keep out the cold. Despite the season, she can tell the grounds are well kept and tended by someone who enjoys the work. Long ago and far away, Kass had enjoyed gardening. She would spend days in the garden, pulling up weeds, planting beautiful flowers. It was dirty, hard work, but rewarding. Part of her longs for it now, to tend to the currently sleeping flowers, but the ground is hard with the cold, and she is sure there is a gardener here that would frown upon her meddling. 

The rest of the day is spent in relative quiet. Ash bounds in and takes her lunch with Kass and they eat tiny sandwiches to Ash’s delight. As soon as she’s done though, Lokraan has her resume her studies. That feeling in Kass’s gut returns, making her frown. She needs to talk to Melarue, find out where they found Lokraan and see if he is as trustworthy as he is made to seem. 

Kass reads for a good part of the day until she feels restless enough to return to the grounds to train. She feels weaker than she has in a very long time and it doesn’t suit her. It reminds her too much of when she was actually weak and defenseless; she promised herself to never be that way again. 

She goes through hours of exercises, working up a sweat despite the cold. She shucks off her cloak and rolls up her sleeves before resuming work with her assortment of weapons. There’s the hand-a-half sword, the hand-axe, a short-sword that feels more like a dagger in her hand but she keeps it because it always seems to get the job done when she needs it. She breaks out her shield as well, and even a “staff” that is really more of a walking stick. 

Hours later, muscles aching, and out of breath, Kass notices the sun has set. The grounds are lit by gas lamps, though she doesn’t know when they were lit or by whom. She does know she is hungry, but sweaty and likely giving off a stench none too pleasant. 

She turns to go back inside and stops when she sees Melarue in the sunroom. They’re speaking with Elsi and as if sensing her eyes upon them, they turn to look at her. Even behind those glasses she can feel the weight of their gaze. She holds up a finger in a universal sign for them to wait. She has to go around the hedges and into the main living area before making it into the sunroom. She hurries as quickly as she can but when she reaches the sunroom, it’s just Elsi.

“They retired for the evening,” the harpy says, “they apparently had a full day at the Orchid.”

She wants to curse. They’re avoiding her, and there isn’t much she can do about that. Not when they have the ability to essentially vanish. 

“Thank you, Elsi,” she says anyways, knowing it’s not the girl’s fault. 

She nods, “Would you like me to bring you some soup during your bath?” Right, her bath, and food. Her nose wrinkles as she recalls what a foul state she must be in and tries not to flinch.

“Yes, please. Has Ash already eaten?”

“Yes, she retired quite awhile ago. Her tutor had her do some more magical exercises that wore her out, something to do with endurance.”

“Dammit,” she finally gives into the temptation to curse, “tomorrow...tomorrow will be better.” She didn’t get time with Ash or Melarue, the two things she wanted to do today. Instead, she spent the day training.

The journey to her room is long only because her body realizes that it spent the day working. Her muscles begin to ache and fatigue, and she’s practically quivering by the time she makes it into the tub. She used to have incredible endurance, able to run all day and fight all night. Then they went on the run and she had to start cutting back on food and sleep, then she got sick. Amazing what the three will do to a person’s endurance. Still, she trained for most of the day and is only now feeling the effects - she doesn’t consider that a total loss. 

Elsi brings up Kass’s soup a little later and informs her that she will be retiring for the night as well. Kass bids her goodnight, finishes her soup and her bath, then crawls into bed herself. Tomorrow will be better.

**

The next day is better. She manages to spend the majority of it with Ash since Lokraan is coincidentally caught up with a personal affair in the city. Kass takes the opportunity to take Ash out into the city as well. If this is to be their new home, they need to learn to enjoy it properly. 

Kass has Ash wear the necklace to disguise her while donning a thick cloak and hood. Ash’s skin shifts to a warm brown and her white hair darkens to black while her horns shimmer away under the illusion of humanity. 

“That amulet is meant for you,” Elsi murmurs, “sometimes the necklaces that are meant for someone else can...cause issues.” 

“She’s like me, and we won’t be out long,” Kass says, adjusting her hood in the mirror to make sure her horns are sufficiently covered.

“I look  _ weird, _ all...humany,” Ash says, staring at herself in the mirror, touching her face and hair. She turns and pokes at the now rounded ear. 

“Be careful, Melarue would have my head if anything happened to you,” she jokes but there’s a serious look in her eye that has Kass placing a reassuring hand on the girl’s shoulder. 

“They wouldn’t, and nothing is going to happen.” Kass pulls up her scarf to cover the lower half of her face and Ash dons a cloak of her own for warmth. Her daughter may be a walking fireplace, but she is worryingly susceptible to the cold, which is part of the reason why Kass won’t keep them out for long. They are in a much colder region than where they were living before they went on the run, and while a climate like this keeps them safer since the hunters wouldn’t think this is the first place they’d go, it certainly isn’t the most comfortable for Ash. 

Melarue’s driver is still with them, but they don’t need the driver to get around and besides, markets are better traversed on foot. It doesn’t take long for them to reach the markets, and they see more of the nicer part of the city in the process. 

“I love this, I love living like this.” Ash laughs, spinning along the sidewalk, the falling snow spinning with her.

Kass smiles, “It is certainly very nice.”

“You like it too, I know you do. And you like Melarue.”

“Oh, they’re a very nice host -

“C’mon, Mama, I’m not stupid. You like them, and they like you. And I think it’s great.”

Kass stops, her face flushed under her hood and scarf, “You...do?”

Ash turns to her and shrugs, “Yeah, all you’ve ever done is work and then we had to run because of me. You just about killed yourself to make sure I’m okay...I want you to be happy too.” 

Kass’s heart warms and tears threaten to spill over. Instead, she pulls Ash for a tight hug.

“I love you so much. I am so, so proud of you.”

“Mama!” She protests, “you’re embarrassing me.”

“I’m your mother, that’s what I do.” She tucks Ash’s head under her chin and presses a kiss through the scarf to the top of a disguised horn. 

Ash moves away as soon as she can, teenager scorn of affection firmly back in place. But Kass knows now, and it’s good. Selfishly, she hadn’t really been thinking all that much about how Ash would react to Kass pursuing a relationship with Melarue. That thought breeds guilt, but she’s mostly relieved that her daughter is fine with it. More than fine with it, Ash wants it for Kass. This whole time Kass has been sacrificing herself for her daughter, she hasn’t stopped to think that Ash wanted more for her as well. 

They make it to the market, greeted by the growing roar of shopkeepers shouting their wares and shoppers trying to negotiate. The street is lined with stalls and filled with people despite the cold and snow. There are food stalls with all types of street food from meat pies to wraps to even season spiced wine. Most of which smells delightful and even though Kass has already eaten, she finds herself looking over at a stand selling what looks to be a special type of warm bread that is cooked with a rotating cylinder over an open flame. 

“Can we get one of those, please?” Ash asks, taking out a very familiar looking coin purse from her cloak.

“Ash! I thought the purse was lost.”

Ash flushes and shrugs, “Technically, I never said it was  _ lost _ . You read that from my face. I kept it safe while Melarue looked over you. But hey! Now we can get this really neat bread!” She hands over a few copper and the baker hands over the bread. Ash’s gloved hands take it and immediately tear off a piece to try. “Mmm, you gotta try it.” She breaks off another piece and offers it to Kass who sighs and takes it. She’s right, it’s  _ very _ good. It’s sweet in a way that it’s clear it's made with honey, and while there is a slight crust, the bread itself is the perfect balance of soft and crisp.

“Alright, good choice, but I hold the money from now on,” Kass says, holding out her hand. Ash sighs but hands it over.

They spend the next two hours wandering the stalls, looking at all the odds and ends of the various merchants. Ash is particularly taken with the glassblower’s wares while Kass finds a very fine silversmith. They are browsing a stall full of journals when Ash shivers. Her hand spasms and she pulls it to her body. When she exhales, a puff of smoke comes out with it. 

“Mama, I don’t feel right,” she whispers. Kass restrains herself from cursing and takes Ash’s arm.

“Let’s get back to the house.” On a mission, Kass directs Ash swiftly through the throngs of people, thanking her immense height for this. People move out of the way as soon as they spot Kass and Ash hurriedly making their way down the street. Kass murmurs a polite “excuse me” and “pardon us” every now and then, and thankfully no one seems invested enough to pay overmuch attention to them.

Every few moments, Ash twitches and Kass feels her arm heart with a pulse of magic trying to return the girl’s temperature to its normal elevated level. Ash is already tall, only a few inches under Melarue’s height and still growing, but she seems to shrink with each step. She hunches into herself to conserve heat. Damn it, normally they have more time. They’ve been in the cold for much longer before Ash even began to feel uncomfortable! 

By the time they reach the mansion, Ash is shaking. Kass doesn’t stop to take off her layers, instead hurrying Ash to the great room to set her by the fire. She reaches around Ash’s neck and unclasps the amulet. Ash’s form wavers then settles on her true form, with gray skin, white hair, and curving horns.

Magic immediately blooms around Ash in a heavy wave of heat. Ash gasps as if she had be suffocating and the fire roars a brilliant blue in response.

“Elsi!” Kass calls as she grabs a blanket to wrap around Ash. The other girl comes dashing in, worry written on her face.

“Can you get some soup for Ash? Hot soup, something like chicken noodle.”

“Right away!” She runs off to the kitchen while Kass tries not to flagellate herself for not seeing the signs sooner. Ash’s magic, while strong and vibrant, also creates within her a vulnerability that needs to be protected and Kass is supposed to be that protector. 

The rest of the afternoon is spent with Kass and Elsi doing their best to warm up Ash. Hours in, Kass walks into the great room to see Ash extricating herself from the extensive blanket cocoon, stripping down to her bare skin to climb into the fireplace.

“ASHOKARA!” Kass shouts, running to help her.

“I’m fine,” Ash says, her voice surprisingly soft. The fire snaps to blue from its original orange, curving over her daughter’s body like a blanket. “I need the fire.”

Being a non-magical person, Kass doesn’t quite understand it. Not to mention her daughter’s magic seems so different from the magic of a typical mage. But she trusts her daughter to know what she needs; the blue fire has never harmed her before and if she were in pain, Ash would remove herself. It makes her think that perhaps the hunters aren’t entirely wrong, Ash isn’t normal, for certain. She isn’t a monster, like they espouse, but she isn’t a typical mage with the way she interacts with fire and how fire reacts to her. 

Kass watches her daughter, flames growing bigger and higher within the gigantic fireplace. Laughter blooms from the fire and Kass smiles. It’s said that their people have a bit of dragon’s blood in them, and Kass thinks Ash must have more than most to live within the fire like this. 

By dinner, Ash is all warmed up, dressed and carrying on just fine. Kass has barred her from leaving the house for the time being, however. All of her food is also served very hot for her happy consumption. 

“Can I have hot chocolate?” Ash asks and Kass chuckles. She’s so milking this and Kass can’t bring herself to not give into it.

“Sure.” The treat is brought to the table and Ash sips at it happily. Kass watches as the heat doesn’t affect her, if anything, her color improves and her eyes close with relief.

Ash’s eyes open when she lowers the mug and she smiles. At her next exhale, some smoke puffs out, but unlike before at the market, this breath is controlled. Kass raises an eyebrow and Ash’s eyes sparkle.

“Lokraan says I’m special,” Ash says, sounding almost completely normal once more.

“Of course you are!” Kass agrees but Ash just shakes her head, smile still in place.

“Not like how you see me, but my magic - he says it’s pure power. He says that I could really have an effect on the world if I try hard enough.” She lifts her hand and a small blue flame dances around her finger tips before dissipating as she closes her fist.

“That’s amazing, but little one, you’re only fourteen.” What sorts of things has Lokraan been discussing with Ash? Kass has no doubt Ash can have a positive effect on the world, but she is still just a  _ girl _ . She has so much to learn and do before she is ready to go brave the world. 

As if proving her point, Ash says “And what, that means I can’t be powerful?” Kass takes a deep breath and tries to toe this lightly. Ash is admittedly temperamental and with her young age, she is not...particularly wise.

“Of course not, it simply means that you have a lot to learn before you can apply that power. The world doesn’t need another explosion.”

“And that’s all I can do, that’s all you see.” Where was  _ this _ coming from? Kass has always been supportive of Ash’s talents. Sure, it’s frightened her a few times, but mostly when she’s feared that Ash was in danger. Her daughter’s fire is incredible, even if it is dangerous. 

“It means that until you learn how to use your power, you won’t know how to prevent such an explosion - learning how to use something also means learning when not to use it. Being successful and affecting change means having this wisdom of when to use power. Not every situation calls for a lot of power, sometimes...less is more. You are going to do amazing things, baby girl, when you are ready to do them. And as your mama, I want you to be safe too.” Kass reaches forward for Ash’s hand, but Ash recoils from her.

“Lokraan says non-mages won’t get it, and even that most mages won’t because my magic is so unique.” She practically spits the word  _ non-mages _ and Kass can’t help but feel a twinge of pain as she knows that Ash, and perhaps Lokraan, very much mean Kass herself. Even so, Kass strives for patience.

“He’s right - your magic is unique, but that doesn’t mean you should shut out people who try to understand you, who do their best to help you. That would lead to a lonely life, Ash.” Kass needs to have a discussion with Lokraan. He can’t be spouting these things and expecting Ash to isolate herself with her power. In Kass’s experience, loneliness is a contributor to taking a dark path. And Kass will fight Ash going down that path with everything in her body. 

“You are one of the strongest mages I’ve seen, and you make me so proud as your mama. I love you.” Kass tries and Ash glances back at her, violet eyes slowly softening. 

“I love you too,” she whispers, “I guess...it’s just nice for someone who knows magic to recognize what I can do.” Finally, Kass sees her daughter past the defiance. She sees the lonely girl who hasn’t had this kind of expert tutelage despite Kass’s effort. She sees the toll of loneliness and ostracization have taken on Ash and it makes her heart ache.

“Absolutely! And I am so happy you finally have someone who can give you that recognition. I just want you to know that power isn’t everything. Happiness, love, companionship, joy, freedom - these are the things that make life worth living. Power can help you attain these things, but it doesn’t guarantee them, and sometimes, if you focus on just the power aspect - you’ll lose those things.” And without those things to fight for, power in itself is...corrupting. But Kass isn’t going to harp on that quite yet. Ash doesn’t need it and this is no time to talk to Ash like one of the monsters Kass has encountered.

Ash uncrosses her arms and leans forward to take Kass’s hand, “I want it all - happiness, joy, love,  _ and _ power. Can’t I have that?”

“Yes, just don’t lose sight of yourself,” Kass replies softly. Ash’s hand is hot to the touch, charged fully with her magic. She’s so much stronger than she was even a month ago. Her power is growing and Lokraan is nurturing that growth, and Kass will nurture her wisdom in how to use it. Her daughter will not become someone to be hunted. At least, not deservingly so.

The conversation shifts to nicer topics, such as the rest of Ash’s studies. With her new spectacles, she is reading and apparently devouring books. By the time Ash leaves to head to bed, Kass feels more like herself than she has in months. 

She hasn’t felt this happy since even before meeting Melarue in that cave. How long has her life been on this track of dissatisfaction? She wishes she could pinpoint a specific turning point, but she can’t. All she knows is that at some point, her life became less about living and more about surviving. That which she preached to Ash about what mattered in life - joy, love, happiness - those things took a backburner to food, sleep, even money to live. 

Now? Kass doesn’t have to worry about any of that, only about being a good mother and a good person. She can read and train and enjoy who she is. She can enjoy a whole host of things, and what she wants to enjoy is...Melarue. 

Kass returns to her room to change into lounging clothes and to read. It’s such a good book that it engrosses her and she can’t put it down until she’s finished it. It is late into the night when she finishes and her stomach growls. Seems like a midnight snack is in order.

She climbs out of bed and ties a sash around her loose tunic to keep it in place before heading downstairs. She makes her way to the kitchen and scrounges up some bread and butter. She picks up her plate and sets for the sunroom to eat. It’s a lovely spot to eat, and she wants to look out over the grounds, see if she can see any stars. Halfway there and she hears their voice, low and dark. She stops and cranes her neck to see Melarue in the room with the indoor pool, Elsi standing next to them.

“The pool is prepared?” They ask.

“Yes, warmed as you like. I could get you something to eat as well if you’d like,” Elsi says, her voice muffled by the distance.

They shake their head, “No, thank you. Please retire for the night, Elsi, you’ve worked enough.”

“Thank you.” Elsi bows her head and quickly leaves the room, dashing out to the grounds and into the night. Kass tilts her head to watch Melarue, curious. Their back is to her, safe from their gaze as they remove their glasses, setting them on a table by the pool. They take off the layers of their clothes until they are only clad in a light slip that is so thin and so close to their skin tone that she would think they’re naked except for the folds of fabric around their waist and hips. She should turn away, this is peeping behavior and that’s not okay - they reach up and reach behind their neck, unclasping the necklace. They take the necklace away, placing it with their glasses.

Their form shimmers, but it’s centered around their head, flowing in a downward pattern. It takes a moment for Kass to realize the change, their hair a black mass, but then the black mass starts to move and not with Melarue, but independently. There is a writhing rhythm and then a serpent’s head lifts up from the mass, a tongue flicking out as it moves toward Melarue’s jaw. They turn slightly, a finger coming up to gently touch the snout of the snake.

Their hair...isn’t hair, it’s  _ snakes _ . Living, breathing,  _ moving _ snakes. 

A rational part of her, a part that finds tall burly men attractive in a very traditional expected way, says that she should be repelled by this. They’re a  _ monster _ with  _ snakes  _ for hair and their very gaze turns people to stone. They can move so quickly and silently it’s almost like they teleported away from her. But there is a bigger part of her, apparently now in full bloom, loud and vibrant, that isn’t the least bit bothered by these things. In fact, this part of her wants to  _ touch _ those snakes, feel their scaley smoothness as she cups their face, kissing them soundly. 

Melarue walks into the pool, descending slowly into the water until she cannot see them.

Not thinking, Kass sets the remainder of her meal aside and walks to the door of the pool room. At the door, she undoes the sash at her waist then ties it securely around her eyes until she cannot see past the navy silk. She takes a steadying breath and opens the door. She is greeted by the sound of moving water, then Melarue’s voice in a harsh reprimand.

“Kassaran!”

“I have a blindfold,” she says, pointing up at the sash around her face.

“You should not be in here,” they say anyways.

“Probably not, I should be staying away, you have snakes for hair and freaky eye powers that could very easily kill me. You are a monster, but you’re not a  _ monster _ . Melarue, I…” suddenly losing her words, she takes a step forward, gesturing towards them, “I haven’t ever felt this way. You are kind and brave and incredible and I haven’t stopped thinking about that kiss.”

“I’m dangerous, Kass. If I hurt you…”

“Then let’s make sure you don’t,” she says softly, again pointing at the blind fold, “I don’t need to see you to know you’re beautiful, besides...using my hands to see you sounds better anyways.” She shrugs, smirking just a little. The water sloshes and she hears their wet footsteps approach her. She hears the clang of metal on glass and she knows they’re reaching for the necklace.

“Don’t, you don’t need to, I want to know you as you are.” She moves slowly but carefully to them. She reaches out to steady herself and they must reach out too because her hand meets theirs. It’s like electricity that shoots through her, pure and primal, full of desire. 

“Melarue…”

“I am weak,” they breathe and then her arms are full of them. Their hands cup her face and their lips press against hers. Weak as they may be, she is happy for it, reacting instantly to wrap her arms around them. She deepens the kiss, eager to taste them, her hand sliding down to grab their ass and pull them closer to her. This hunger she feels for them is unlike anything she’s experienced and for the life of her, she doesn’t care, she just  _ wants _ . 

Their tongues meet in a rush of wet heat that has her moaning and them trembling. No, wait, not trembling - shivering. 

Kass pulls away just enough to breathe, “You’re cold.”

“A benefit of what I am, I grow cold easily,” they reply before putting their lips back to hers. They seem happy to makeout despite the discomfort but she has no intention of this ending soon and it will end soon if they let themselves get too cold. Recalling the pool is heated, Kass grasps their hips and lifts them up so that they wrap their legs around her hips, her hands supporting them under their thighs. 

They give a little noise of surprise but don’t break the kiss, even now positioned so that they have to lean down to kiss her instead of her leaning. Moving ever so carefully, Kass retraces her steps backwards until she is sure is standing in front of the walk-in pool. 

“Kass…” they groan, rubbing themselves against her. She gasps and nearly stumbles at the sensation. Her body is alight with a needy arousal, compelling her to stop and drop to her knees, let them continue right there. Why not? No, they need the warmth of the water, then they can be as wicked as they desire. 

Mindful of each step, Kass slowly walks down the slope into the pool. She is still fully clothed, though barefoot, and the warm water soaks into her clothes, the fabric clinging to her skin. When the water reaches up to Melarue’s feet, they inhale sharply and break the kiss.

“I would have walked.”

“This is better, I like holding you.” To make her point, she shifts her hands to squeeze their behind. Them and their snakes let out a simultaneous hiss that has her raising her eyebrows.

“Don’t like that?” She eases her grip and slowly goes to her knees, giving them plenty of ability to remove themselves.

Instead they grab her horns, pulling her forward in a deep kiss. Okay, they like that. She twines her tongue with theirs and drags her fingers up their back. The fabric of their slip moves with her fingers and it makes her long for the feel of their skin, free from the garment. 

Melarue pulls back and nips at Kass’s lip before retreating off her lap and into the surrounding water. 

“Melarue?” She asks, reaching for them. 

“Patience,” they purr. The water moves her ear twitches as it sloshes around her. She goes to turn but their hands are suddenly on the backs of her arms, so she remains in place. Their hands trail down her arms, then turn to come back up to her shoulders, then clavicle. Her lips part on an inaudible gasp as they press against her back, lips pressing against the nape of her neck. 

“For two years I wondered if you were actually a physical person and not a kind spirit. And then you fell into my arms. I’ve been terribly selfish, Kassaran,” they say as their hands descend over her breasts, “keeping you here.” They squeeze gently and a mewl of pleasure escapes her.

“I like your selfishness,” she murmurs, her hands covering theirs, “and I stayed, I could have left. You’re not as selfish as you think.”

“What if I hired a tutor for Ash just to -

“You didn’t. Melarue, I know you’re not a monster - we don’t have to go through this.”

Their hands move from her breasts to move over her stomach, then over her hips.

“I have snakes growing out of my head, my gaze turns people to stone.”

“And I have horns and have killed so many creatures, they should put me in the world records book.” They pause and she smiles, “Didn’t think about that, did you? That maybe you’re not the only monster here.”

“You are  _ not  _ a monster,” they say emphatically, gently nipping at her nape.

She gasps, “And neither are you.” To make her point, she arches her back, pushing her bum against them. 

They nip at her again, hands coming up to pull at the ties of her tunic. She lets them remove it without any protest. They toss it away and it slaps against the tile surrounding the pool. They turn to her breeches then, pulling at the ties. She takes over the task, to shimmy it over her bum and down her legs to toss away with her tunic. It leaves her just in her breast band and underwear.

“You are so lovely,” they murmur as they move around her, their hand trailing around her waist. Their fingers trail over her skin and she tries not to squirm under the scrutiny. Kass is not a beautiful woman, her life has been hard, full of fighting and manual labor that has sculpted a body covered in scars, roped with muscle. Her curves are overly exaggerated and -

Melarue’s mouth is on hers, their lips gently parting hers to slide their tongue inside her mouth. She softens under their touch, reaching out to them. Her fingers slide along their jaw, then trail down their neck to their small breasts. Their skin is so soft and pliant and she is greedy for them. She brushes her hands over the soft flesh before cupping them, her thumbs brushing over their nipples.

A note of pleasure leaves them, and they arch into her caress. Their body is a wonderland and she wants to learn it well. She moves her hands from their breasts to learn their form, lower and around their ribcage, to their stomach, to slightly curved hips, back up to their breasts. They break the kiss, head leaning back and their eyes fluttering closed at the sensations. Kass takes advantage and moves her lips down the column of their neck. She nips at their collarbone, only to press another kiss there. Her hands only move to support them as they lean back.

“Kassaran,” they whisper, “your mouth is sinful.”

She moves her mouth to the curve where their breast begins. If she weren’t blindfolded, she would have looked up at them before moving her mouth lower to cover their nipple. Alas, she is blindfolded and can only smile against their skin as a warning before sucking their nipple into her mouth. She laves at them, relishing the little gasps coming from them, their hands reaching into her hair then caressing her cheek. She moves over to pay the other breast just as much attention, tonguing the nipple to a peak. 

“You like my mouth,” she finally replies, kissing their sternum.

“I do, I like all of you.” With that, they move so they can kiss her again. She could write poetry about their mouth, their tongue, their hands. She could lose herself so easily in them, and heavens help her, she wants to. 

They mimic her movements, kissing across her cheek then down to her jaw, down her neck. They nip at her collarbone and unsap her breast band, then use their hands to cup her far more generous breasts to pay them attention. Their lips and tongue and teeth toy with her, making her squirm and a heat bloom in her nether regions.

She is so distracted by their mouth on her that she doesn’t realize they’ve been backing her up to one of the pool walls until she bumps into it. 

“Ah!” She exclaims. They stop and she feels their grin against her chest. 

“Hop up,” their voice is dark and full of wicked intention that has her flushing. She’s a grown woman who has had  _ plenty  _ of sex, but they whip out their “I’m going to do naughty things to you” voice and it’s almost like she’s virginal again. Almost. 

Kass may be blindfolded, but Melarue is not, and they said they like her body. Grinning through her blush, Kass turns and uses her strength to slowly lift herself out of the pool and onto the ledge. She sways her hips in a mock movement to get dry before turning to sit on the edge. She keeps her legs closed even when she feels she can predict what they want to do. 

“You are delightful,” they say.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, that’s how I always get out of a pool,” she replies, smiling.

She feels their hands smooth over her thighs and they press against her shins so she opens her legs to let them closer. They press against her front and she sighs before leaning down and kissing them. It’s a quicker, sweeter kiss that ends with them moving lower again. Melarue makes their way down her body, kissing the curve of her stomach, not minding the stress marks there. She shifts slightly so that she is nearly half on, half off the ledge of the pool. She leans back on her arms, tilting her head back to just...enjoy the sensations they are giving her. 

When they tug gently on her panties, she lifts her hips and lets them remove the garment without fuss. Her blush returns but she keeps her legs spread, open for their viewing and...ministrations. They pause only briefly before leaning in and kissing her inner thigh. With the turn of their head, she feels something smooth and slick brush against her sensitive skin. 

_ The snakes _ . She freezes momentarily by reflex, it’s not normal for her to feel a snake against her while in the throes. They stop too, and she feels their hesitance. 

_ It’s their snakes, _ she tells herself,  _ it all still feels so good _ . And she really doesn’t want them to stop. 

“Melarue, please,” she says softly, “I want you.” It’s enough encouragement and they kiss her thigh again and slowly begin to move inward to where she aches most. 

When their mouth finally finds her, she lets out a rather embarrassing sound halfway between a gasp and a mewl. They give her a long, searching lick before settling in to swirl their tongue around the most sensitive bundle of nerves. 

Kass writhes under their touch, hips canting into Melarue to feel more of them. Heat blooms from her sex, so different from the cool air surrounding her outside of the pool. The sensations are nearly overwhelming, and she wants them to overwhelm her. They edge her closer and closer to that peak, making her gasp and roll her hips in desperate anticipation.But it’s just shy of being too much, dangling her over a precipice of pleasure. 

She croons their name, gasps praises, and reaches for them. Her hands find their snakes, smooth and scaly. Undeterred, she carefully keeps her hands in their sentient tresses, holding but not squeezing. It’s different, it really is, especially since the snakes  _ move _ , but it’s them and heavens, she is filled with a need for Melarue. 

Their tongue sinks into her in a deep stroke that her toes curling, so close to that precipice. 

“Please, ka - oooh,” she moans as their hand joins in, teasing her just so. It’s too much,  _ finally _ . Her muscles tense and she keens against their mouth, their lips and tongue devouring her pleasure. 

Even with her release, they don’t let up immediately. No, Melarue stays between her legs, licking at her and murmuring words in a language she doesn’t know. Kass doesn’t think she can move, and really, she doesn’t want to. It feels good what they’re doing, even if a little uncomfortable with how overly sensitized she is now. 

After several long moments, the cold air starts to get to her and she realizes that while she’s found her pleasure they have not. She scoffs inwardly, she is not a selfish lover by any means. With her release seen to, the need to see to them fills her. 

Kass sits up and gently tugs a little on a snake. They move away from her, slow and languid.

“My turn,” she says, voice husky with pleasure. She hops back into the pool, sighing at the heat enveloping her. She had intended to put them up on the ledge but she recalls their sensitivity to the cold. She can’t expect them to writhe with as much pleasure as she had while suffering from the cold, now can she. 

Instead, Kass takes Melarue into her arms, kissing them deeply, not minding her own saltiness still upon their tongue. Her hands roam over them, caressing their back, their buttocks, thighs and breasts. Finally, she settles her hands on their hips, curving around to their ass, only to lift them up once more. 

They chuckle, “You certainly like doing that.”

“I do,” she confesses, “most of my previous partners weren’t...well, I want to show off for you.”

“Please do,” they confirm, making her heart clench. Their hands trail to her upper arms, thick with muscle, and squeeze appreciatively. “Mmm.”

Moving in the water with them held like this is a little tricky, but she moves slowly and the slowness gives Melarue plenty of opportunity to express their appreciation for her form. They push themselves upward so that their chest is level with her face, and she can’t help but nuzzle and lick at a breast. Their hands slide up to her shoulders and down to her back, nails dragging in a way that has her humming her approval. 

Once in the shallows, Kass gently lowers them back into the water.

“Warm enough?” She asks, hands skimming over them to feel that they’re warm.

“Absolutely.” 

Kass grins and it is all the warning they have before she lays on top of them, her thigh sliding between their legs to press against their hot sex. She slants her mouth against theirs and pulls their leg up around her hip so they can feel the friction and pressure of her thigh as much as possible. They gasp into her mouth and drag their nails down her back to her ass, arching their back in response. She moans at the feel of them, soft and hot and wet, and not just from the water around them. 

Her hold on their thigh inches upward and rocks against them, setting a slow, torturous rhythm. As their pleasure mounts, they get feistier, nipping at her lips, nails digging into her ass, moving faster against her. Shifting, Kass slides her hand from their thigh to the center of their pleasure. Her fingers find their sensitive flesh and circle the small bundle of nerves. Their flesh is so hot and needy and she wants to give them everything. 

They groan and she feels them tense, so close. 

“You feel so good,” she praises, sinking a finger into them, then another when she feels them give so easily. She crooks the fingers on a shallow thrust, and their response is immediate. Their hips thrust, a sharp groan escapes them and then their muscles seize as their release takes hold. She continues to pleasure them with her hand through their spasms, relishing their pleasure, desiring more of it. 

When they squirm, she removes her hand and sets to simply kissing them. They’re sweet, unrushed kisses, full of...whatever it is she feels for them. 

“Am I squishing you?” She whispers between kisses. 

“Only in the best way,” they reply.

“I don’t want -

“You’re warm and I really don’t want to move,” their voice is so quiet that if she weren’t so close, she wouldn’t hear them. But she does hear them, and she kisses their cheek. 

“How long will the pool stay heated?” 

“The enchantment wore off twenty minutes ago.”

She laughs, “I’m terrible with time, it’s really late isn’t it?”

“It is.”

“I’d suggest we go to bed, but I have no idea where my clothes are and they’re probably all wet.” 

They kiss her temple and she lets them up when they gently push against her.

“Wait right here, darling.” The loss of them makes her realize how much the water has cooled and she brings her legs up to keep warmer. 

“You can take off the blindfold,” they say. They must have donned their glasses to allow her this, and she eagerly removes the sash from her brow to see them naked and glorious. They’re smiling and waiting for her to look at them, she realizes. While she learned their body with touch, she takes them in greedily, all the details that she couldn’t know without sight. Their pale skin seems to glow in the soft light from the gas lamps and the moonlight streaming in from the windows. The color of their nipples, how red their mouth is after all the kissing. Their snakes are long, trailing all the way down to their waist for some, while others remain more suspended, watching her. 

“I could read the dictionaries of a thousand languages and never find the words to describe how marvelous you are,” she says. 

Their brow arches and their ears flush, “I think you just did.”

They move over to one of the lounge chairs and pull on the coat they had discarded previously. They button it up then pick up the afghan that had been draped decoratively over the arm of the chair. They move back to the walk-in end of the pool and hold out the afghan. Anyone else would have looked comedic or out of place when only wearing a coat, but it just makes them look even sexier, if that is even possible.

Kass rises from the pool and walks into the outstretched afghan, letting them wrap it warmly around her. 

“Thank you.”

Together, they pick up the remainder of their clothes then head upstairs. They’re quiet, but there is an understanding in the silence between them. She stands close to them and eventually shifts her bundle to one arm so that she can reach out to them. Her fingers touch their hand and they glance down before turning their palm over to lace their fingers together. 

Heat of a different sort spread through her at the joining of their hands. A heat that she doesn’t feel entirely comfortable examining yet. All she knows is that when she is with them, she feels wonderful and light. That’s enough to know for right now.

They stop at the door to her room and she suddenly doesn’t know what to do.

“Um, do you want to come in?” She offers. They tilt their head and one of their snakes leans forward, sticking its tongue out to taste the air. 

“I think it’s time for me to retire for the night,” they say and her expression must have fallen more than she could control because they continue, “but tonight was lovely and I look forward to seeing you in the morning.”

“I’ll hold you to that, to not avoiding me,” she says before leaning down to give them a long goodnight kiss.

“You are far too persistent to let me hide,” they murmur against her lips..

“You’re right. Good night, Melarue, sleep well.”

“You as well, Kassaran.” Their hand slips from hers as they walk down the hall to their quarters. Kass watches them go, biting her lip. When they leave her sight, she slips into her room and tries not giggle like some little school girl. She just had very naughty sex in a pool, after all. She’s far from being a girl. Still, Melarue makes her feel young and desirable and very sexy. 

Kass drops her still soaking clothing into the hamper and considers redressing for bed, but there’s a comfort in sleeping naked after having sex. She braids her hair back and dons a cap, then wraps herself back in the afghan and climbs into bed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	6. Part 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kass and Melarue spar and continue to get to know each other. NSFW

When Kassaran wakes, she feels  _ amazing _ . Better than amazing - superb, extraordinary, exceptional. She stretches languidly in bed, relishing the softness on her still naked skin. How lovely would it be to just...roll over and have sex again. But alas, she didn’t go to sleep with Melarue. Truthfully, it makes sense why they’d be hesitant about sharing a bed. In an early wakeful state, they could end up accidentally petrifying her - which no one wants. Still, Kass would be a little over the moon for some morning sex right about now. 

Instead, she climbs out of bed and dresses. She plans to train some more today, she wants to be in top shape before proposing working security at one of Melarue’s pleasure houses. As much as she has enjoyed taking this time off, she doesn’t want to feel entirely dependent on them, and she doesn’t want them to feel like she is freeloading. She is an independent woman who happens to...want to need them at this point. 

It’s still early enough that the sun is only barely peeking over the horizon when Kass finally leaves her room. The door clicks shut and she turns - right into Melarue. 

Their hands come to her arms in reflex and she stops, eyes landing on their face. They have their amulet on judging by the lack of curious snakes around their head, instead there is only the semblance of perfectly normal black hair coiled into ringlets. 

“Good morning,” they say and she feels herself relax into a sweet but knowing smile.

“Good morning,” she answers before dipping down to slant her mouth over theirs. They respond happily but do not otherwise move. Ever careful with their glasses, Kass pulls back slowly, still savoring their taste on her lips. 

“Sleep well?” They ask.

“Perfectly, you?” 

“Just as well.” They lean back up and kiss her cheek and then they walk downstairs to get breakfast together. They spend breakfast eating and talking and laughing, then Ash comes down, looking like the sleepy teenager she is. Melarue stays with them, listening to Ash excitedly talk about their outing the other day. It’s all so wonderfully domestic. 

“You are in your leathers, Kassaran,” Melarue says.

“Yes, I’m going to do some training today.”

“Mama wants to work again, so she has to get strong,” Ash says, “but I told her that she could do other things! She doesn’t have to fight.”

“You’re right,” Melarue replies, “she doesn’t have to fight if she doesn’t want to. Do you think this is wise, Kassaran?”

Kass rolls her eyes and bites her tongue to refrain from saying that there are precisely two ways she knows how to make money, and she has no intention of returning to sex work. Instead, she replies, “I want to work security at one of your houses, Melarue, if you would have me. I had wanted to be in better shape before approaching you, and I know that right now is...tenuous but I am not someone to laze around depending on other people like this. I need to work, if only to feel productive.” 

She maintains her gaze with Melarue, albeit obscured by the glasses. Melarue is silent for a moment before leaning forward, “Of course, I will have you. Though I am afraid I am not currently hiring.”

Kass feels her hopes deflate, but then they continue.

“Adair is hiring, however.”

“The healer who helped deliver Suvenin’s baby? Why does he need protection?

“Adair caters to those of us who cannot receive regular healing for fear of exposure and subsequent persecution. While he himself does not require protection, his patients often do. Someone with your background could be quite helpful for them to avoid hunters. I can recommend you if you like” 

Kass mulls it over for a second. It would be nice to repay Adair for healing her as well, and while he is a bit...eccentric, he’s not an unpleasant man. Part of her recoils at the idea of spending more time around monstrous people, but then again they’re her crowd now. After the moment’s thought, Kass nods.

“Yes, I’d appreciate that.” 

“Though I do not think you should be working until you build up your strength,” they qualify and she chuckles.

“Hence the training,” Kass says, finding it’s the only thing she can say after their words. They really do have a way with those things, don’t they? Her heart feels like it beats a little harder with each word they spoke and she has no clue on how to stop or fix this. She doesn’t even think she wants to. As nerve wracking it is to feel this way for them, she likes it, likes  _ them _ . 

“Then we are in agreement.” 

**

Kass isn’t overly fond of the cold, but it feels nice for training. It keeps her from overheating, like in the summer months. After breakfast and seeing Ash set up with Lokraan, Kass sets out to begin her training. Most of it is strength building and conditioning, and it feels  _ amazing _ to move it again. She feels strong and capable. 

After two hours of work, she is panting and hot despite the falling snow. She shucks off her outer layer and picks up a staff to work through fighting stances. She could have gone to her sword or her axe, but the staff requires a specific type of work that appeals to her at the moment. 

After thirty minutes, she loses another layer, leaving her in a short-sleeved undershirt and leather vest. 

“What a delightful view,” a low voice comments and Kass jerks around to see Melarue. They’re dressed far differently from any other time she’s seen them. Instead of a long elegant dress, they are bedecked in dark leather pants with matching jacket, a deep green shirt peeking through the fasteners of the jacket. surprisingly, their snakes are in free view. In their hand is a staff.

Kass raises an eyebrow, “Care to join me?” 

The grin is slow and sinful, “I was rather enjoying the show.”

“Whatever pleases your fancy,” she says, rolling her shoulders a bit. The longer she remains unmoving, the more the cold gets to her. 

Their head tilts and she thinks they’re following her movement. It pleases her to no end to know they find her attractive, even with all the wear and tear around the edges. 

They step forward with the staff, slow and graceful. Even outside of their obvious opulent finery, they move with the gracefulness of anyone who has spent time in the most lavish of courts. Like a snake, she realizes, which of course makes sense. They hold the staff low but their grip is anything but casual. 

“Melarue?” She asks, eyeing their movements. They stop and a grin spreads across their face.

“All this talk of how dangerous you are to me,” they say, turning away from her to remove their glasses. On instinct, Kass closes her eyes, but keeps her body facing them. “Relax, Kassaran, I am only blindfolding myself. The glasses are far too easy to lose in a spar.” 

Trusting them, Kass opens her eyes to see that they have indeed wrapped a black blindfold around their eyes. All the snakes then move to look directly at Kassaran. 

“You can see with their eyes,” she marvels.

“I can if I focus, it’s a bit like reading a book upside down.” Again, they step forward, the staff low in their grip but their stance anything but casual.

“Before we begin, we need rules,” Kass says and they nod.

“Agreed. I believe ‘stop’ and ‘enough’ are sufficient for this.”

“Yes. A bout is won if pinned longer than three seconds.”

“Or if a staff is put into position where it could decapitate were it a sword,” Melarue says softly. 

“No blows to the head.”

“No hair pulling.”

“Or real choking.”

“What sparring partner have you had that actually choked you?”

Kass laughs, “Some idiot who got mad that I kept beating him. Got his hands around my throat but stupidly forgot  _ horns hurt _ on the receiving end of a headbutt.”

“Fool.” They smile and stop walking, stopping a small distance from Kass. Her heart thuds in her chest before she takes a deep breath, forcing herself to steady. She forces her perspective on them to change from imagining them naked and writhing beneath her to the formidable opponent that she knows they are. She bends her knees, dropping into a ready stance. 

Melarue doesn’t change their stance, but one of the snakes bobs and then they move faster than any vampire Kass has fought. But Kass has reflexes honed from those fights and moves just in time to block their strike. She pushes back, brings her staff low to counterstrike only to find them gone.

“Impressive,” they say from behind her. She whirls around to face them.

“Should’ve guessed you strike like a snake,” she comments.

“I admit, you’re the first to admit the thought.”

“The first to admit it, or the first who lived long enough to say it?” She teases and their expression turns serious.

“I could claim self defense, but it wasn’t always that.”

“Melarue, I didn’t mean -

“I know.” She nearly drops her staff to go and kiss them, to reassure them that she isn’t judging them. Goodness knows she has had to do regrettable things. She is the last to judge. 

Before she can take a step forward they’re moving and she is on the defensive again. Over and over they move to strike her, getting in a few hits. She grunts at the hits and they tsk their tongue at her. 

They land hit after hit, all fair, and nothing debilitating. 

“Concede! I’ve landed enough hits to -

“I’ve suffered worse and won!” She argues, striking at them. They dodge it.

“Stop being stubborn and rest!”

“Stubborn is my fighting style!” They make a noise of frustration at her comment and then they twist until they’re standing in front of her, staff leveled at her neck. She frowns.

“Alright, you win this bout. I’ll get the next.” 

As it turns out, she doesn’t win the next bout. She does manage to disarm them, but they get around her, get her to her knees and lay a gentle hand to her throat. 

“Again,” she asks.

“One more,” they acquiesce. She takes a deep breath and prepares herself. 

They move to strike her again and instead of dodging, she reaches up and grabs the staff. She’ll register the sting later, but right now she pulls on the staff quick and hard, disarming them. Before they react, she drops down and sweeps out the staves. They don’t trip, but leap out of the way. Kass tosses the extra staff away and moves to defend herself as Melarue switches to hand-to-hand combat. One would think that they’d be at a disadvantage without the staff, but that person would be very, and likely deadly, wrong. 

Kass is slower than them, no way to sugarcoat that. And they are deceptively strong. Yet, there is something in the way that monstrous people fight that she gets, and she knows how to fight. Monsters who’ve been outcasted from society have a quality to their fighting that feels like they’re close to giving up. Melarue doesn’t have a lot of that, but there is enough melancholy that causes them to...lean into danger, as it were. Kass has fought speed based monsters before, with varying success. Vampires are supposedly the fastest, though she suspects Melarue is faster when pressed. 

Kass blocks a few of their blows and gets herself into position. They dodge and strike with brutal efficiency. She decreases the distance between them bit by bit, until her reach exceeds theirs. Her foot darts out, destabilizes them at the ankles then her hand shoots out, grabs their wrist and she turns until their back is flush against her chest. Her hand cups their jaw carefully, not strong enough to stop them from moving. 

She lowers her lips to a pointed ear, trailing her lips down its curve before speaking, “Don’t underestimate me just because you hate how strong you are comparatively. Your strength is beautiful, and I am very glad that it has helped you survive so I could meet you, as selfish as that sounds.”

“My snakes are in striking distance,” Melarue says calmly, “You would not leave this alive.”

“Could they kill me before I kill you?” Silence is her answer and she sighs before placing a gentle kiss to their temple. She drops her hand from their jaw and pulls away to sit on the bench to regain her breath. Heavens but they worked her. 

“You never stopped,” they say, taking a seat next to her. 

Kass shakes her head, “That’s the thing. I get up as many times as I get knocked down. You’re fast, you’re strong. I’m resilient, and I have every reason to survive.”

“For your daughter,” they whisper and she nods. 

“Nothing motivates you like the need to make sure your kid’s okay.” She wipes at her forehead and when she looks back at them, they have a distant expression that makes her feel she said the wrong thing. They stand up and move to the table where they had their glasses and necklace.

“I had fun,” she says, hoping to relieve some of the tension that had suddenly arrived. They don their glasses and necklace, the snakes morphing into long, black hair, and the blindfold gets tucked into a pocket.

“I admit, I haven’t truly sparred in quite some time. And you are right, it was fun,” they reply.

“A shame for the fun to end,” she sighs, eyes lingering on their backside. 

They turn slightly, just enough for her to see a brow raised, “A shame indeed.”

She shrugs, “I’m just saying, the bath adjoining my room is large and can be lonely.” She walks by them, her hand reaching out to trail across their lower back as she moves. 

Just as her hand is about to leave them, they move with her so that they are walking with her. Her hand remains on their lower back and they don’t move to remove it, which brings her great pleasure. 

“If only I had the foresight to make the guest bath more accomodating,” they say and she can’t resist smiling at this point.

“I’ll forgive you,” she replies. 

Together, they quickly make their way up to her rooms. The main door shuts behind them and Melarue tugs her down to press their lips to hers. The kiss is hot and full of desire that has them peeling each other’s clothes off in a hurry. 

They don’t even make it to the bath right away. Instead, Melarue whispers filthy things in Kass’s ear and she falls back onto the chaise. They follow her and wrap the blindfold around her eyes before pressing kisses to her brow, cheeks, and mouth once more. She hears the tap of their glasses on the wood of the side table and then they’re back on her, hands touching her, mouth consuming her. They press against her and she feels a part of their anatomy she did not think they had press against her, making her gasp into their mouth. 

“You’re a shapeshifter,” she states the obvious, the thrill of passion seeming to inhibit all sorts of sense in her brain.

They chuckle, “Do you object?”

“Absolutely not,” she groans, and lets them have their wicked way with her. They are hot and hard and so very  _ good _ at what they do. Then again, so is she. Kass gives as good as she gets in both battle and love making. She relishes their groans and the erratic thrusts ever so often when the pleasure is so great. In the end, she reaches her pleasure before them and then it’s a sizzling burn as they continue to move within her. It’s almost too much, but she doesn’t want to give it up, give them up. How have they become so integral in her life so quickly? She holds onto them as they groan and their hips still as they reach their pleasure. 

It’s so much, almost too much, and she has to bite her lip to stop herself from letting the tears spill out from her eyes. Heavens, the last time she cried during sex was...fourteen years ago, when Ash’s father found her again after she ran. Though, what that wasn’t exactly  _ sex _ . 

“Did I hurt you?” The question is soft and full of genuine concern that has her smiling.

“Oh no, no, I’m...that was fantastic, I’m just…” she gestures, not finding the words. “You make me feel like I’m twenty-five, so new but feeling like I’m on top of the world.” Before they can worry more, she kisses them, full of the softness she feels for them. Slowly and sweetly she moves her lips over theirs, twines her tongue with theirs. When they break away to breathe she smiles.

“Come, let’s wash and enjoy that cavernous bath you so thoughtlessly installed,” she kisses their cheek at their smile and sits up. “You’ll need to help me get in there, though, I haven’t gotten so used to this place I can walk it blindfolded.” 

“Here,” they say and she feels their fingers gently remove the blindfold. She blinks her eyes back into focus to see their glasses are back in place. 

“I want you to be comfortable,” she argues gently.

“I am, and you should be comfortable too.”

“Turning my own logic on me, are you?” They both rise and make their way to the bath.

“I don’t play fair.”

“Clearly!” She turns on the water and it cascades from the ceiling in a great rush. “Did you invent this? What is this, I’ve never seen it before and it’s amazing.”

“I’m glad you like it. I cannot claim this invention, a vampire engineer created it about a year ago. Xe’s on a current mission to have what xe call plumbing installed in the entire city. I volunteered my home as an experiment, and I agree, it’s amazing.” 

“That is a noble cause, indeed!” When the bath fills to a satisfying point, Kass shuts off the water and climbs in with Melarue following. Kass sighs as she sinks in the hot water, her very worked muscles slowly relaxing with the warmth. 

Melarue sighs as well, sinking lower in the tub until only their neck and head is above the water. It’s only then she notices how pale they had been, now with the color returning to their cheeks.

“You stayed in the cold too long.”

They wave her off, “No, I enjoyed it. I knew I would be able to warm myself afterwards and it was worth it.”

“I’m glad you feel that way, but I don’t like that you placed yourself in an uncomfortable spot.”

“Kass, I will choose what I wish to do and why, I am not looking to be taken care of. I am your lover, not a ward.” 

“And as my lover, I want you to feel good -

“I do, trust me.”

She wants to fight that, but she stops herself. She should trust them, and they are choosing these things after all. Kass did not make them come out and spar with her, she did not ask them to don their glasses. They voluntarily did these things. Perhaps she doesn’t always have to be the one making concessions to keep others happy. 

“Okay, I will.” She needs to, they are her lover and she needs to treat them as such. It’s just been so long that she’s had a paramour that she forgets how to act with one. There is one thing she remembers, though.

“May I wash your back?” She asks. The corners of their mouth tilt up and they shift in the tub to let her run the cloth along their back. She takes her time, slowly moving it over their skin to wash away the sweat and grime built up over the last few hours. They lean into her when she finishes with their back, allowing her to move the cloth to their arms and front. 

One of the snakes, a rebellious one as the others are draped carefully away from Kassaran, moves towards Kass and looks directly at her. It flicks its tongue at her and she smiles at it. 

“Can I touch it? Them? Do they have names?”

“The snakes are a part of me, I haven’t named them. You can touch it if you like.” 

Carefully, Kass reaches out to the snake with her finger. Its tongue flicks out, scenting the air in its own little way. It bobs its head and moves closer, she moves her finger closer too. Ever so gently, she pets the snake’s head. It’s smooth and Melarue shifts.

“That feels...strange.”

“Bad?”

“No, but I feel it distantly.”

“Has no one ever touched your snakes before?” She trails her finger down the snake’s back a little and it moves closer to her, seemingly wanting to be touched. 

“No.” As they speak, another snake moves from its position on Melarue’s shoulder to join its curious friend. Kass lets it scent her then pets it. She’s never petted a snake before, so she doesn’t know for certain if they’re enjoying this, but they’re not moving away or hissing so that’s likely a good sign, right? 

Melarue suddenly turns and before she can say anything, they kiss her gently. 

“You are too good to me.”

“I am not, you deserve all of this goodness.” She kisses them back and feels them smile against her.

The rest of the bath is wondrously relaxing. She’s loathe to end it, but eventually the water goes tepid and there is only so much time someone should spend in their filth. They both rise from the tub, dry, then dress in short order. The ease she feels with them is so unlike anything she’s experienced before, and she isn’t sure how to handle it. 

They leave her rooms and head down the hall, passing the library on the way. Kass can hear Lokraan inside with Ash, lecturing her on magical principles. There’s a flash of light from around the door and she worries for a moment that Ash has set fire to the library. No smoke or screams arise, though, so...everything ought to be fine. 

“Melarue? Do you trust Lokraan?” She likely could have phrased the question better, but it is so easy to not censor herself around them.

They startle in their own way, a sudden rigidity taking to their shoulders, “Of course, I would not have put him with your daughter otherwise. Why? Have you concerns?”

She chews her lip, “Something...doesn’t sit well with me about him, but...perhaps it’s just my old hunter instincts. I’m still adjusting.”

Melarue frowns, “I have known him for some time, he is an expert in magical theory and well-educated. His...situation is unique and I am not at liberty to say what it is, but I trust him.”

“Right, of course.” She tries to wave off the concern but she clearly doesn’t do a good job of selling the lie, to herself or to Melarue.

“I also trust you. Has he done anything to Ash?”

Kass shakes her head, “No, he’s only said that her power can make a difference in the world. In all respects it should be a wonderful thing to hear, but something about it...it didn’t settle right with me.”

They ponder for a moment, “I am not one to write off intuition, my own has saved me countless times. I have no doubt your intuition has saved your life similarly. If it will reassure you, I will keep an eye on him.”

Kass relaxes, tension she didn’t even realize she was carrying, easing away, “I would appreciate that, thank you.”

Their smile is small and polite, and she doesn’t need their glasses removed to know it doesn’t reach their eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave kudos and comments, feed your author <3


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